


The City Needs You

by assvictoriam



Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Hamilton - Miranda (Broadway Cast) RPF
Genre: (and commas), Aaron has social anxiety, Alexander has anxiety, Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Anxiety trigger warning, Denial of Feelings, George Washington is a Dad, H A P P Y B U R R, Happy Ending, Human Disaster Aaron Burr, Human Disaster Alexander Hamilton, I don't live in america, I'm gonna add more tags as it progresses lmao, I've never been to america, John Has Issues, Mobility Aids, No longer updating, Oblivious Alexander Hamilton, Suicidal Tendencies, Trans Hercules Mulligan, Trans Male Character, alexander is obsessed with les miserables, and mental illness?, but not like? obvious???, energetic burr!, how to tag?, i live for historically accurate burr!, lots of swearing, please help alexander, uncomfortable use of italics, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-05-01 03:35:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14511678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assvictoriam/pseuds/assvictoriam
Summary: Alexander can't remember.James wishes he couldn't.Aaron's happy he can.Laurens is sick of the memories.Eliza just wants her friends back.- Uncompleted -





	1. School is Kool

He'd made it.  
  
He'd dreamt about Columbia Boarding School, desperately wondering  _when_ he'll get out of Godforsaken Nevis and reach the apple's eye of America.  
Alexander's heart was lifted, years of suffering come together like the universe, exploding into an endless infinity of dreams and education and  _Columbia_.  
  
God, he remembered his mother telling him about this magical school, the place she'd gone to as a bright-eyed teenager, the place his brother wasn't accepted into, but he  _was_.  
Alexander Faucette would make a name for himself here.  
Alexander Faucette would be someone here.  
Alexander Faucette would  _be_.  
  
The only problem he had now was finding his  _god forsaken_ room key- He'd picked it up from the cute girl at front desk, the one with the pretty brown eyes and pale yellow sweater. He'd been fiddling with it as he made his way through the courtyard to his (- _HIS-_ ) dorm room, and put it down when his nokia phone ran-  
He had put it down.  
Where did he put it down? What the fuck? Alex felt his heart begin to jog as he dropped his suitcase outside his door, (He thought it was room 1776. The girl said it was 1755.) and began to walk (not run, don't run don't do it don't do it don'-) down the eerily silent, blue tiled corridor. His phone had rung right outside his dormitory sector, hadn't it? There was a bench outside the door into it, he was sure he'd put it down there ( _but what if he hadn't, what if someone had taken it, oh my go-_ ) and started walking as he spoke on the phone.  
It  _must_ be there. His name was on it too, so it was unlikely that it'd be lost to the ages if someone else picked it up, but still  _oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my..._  
  
"Hey man! What's up? I haven't seen you since-," A voice was carrying down the corridor, coming from way behind him. Alexander could hear someone else speak- A pretty, feminine voice, but he was too far away now to hear what she'd said.  
The stairwell was in full view now, all he had to do was get to the courtyard.

* * *

 

John had his revelation at thirteen. It was during one of those basic history classes, the ones he and Hercules always slept through.   
It wasn't  _rare_ , per se, for kids to have revelations during their history lessons- There was a reason for those forms that caregivers had to fill out at the beginning of each school year. But it was rare for revelations to be triggered by photos.  
  
He couldn't remember the specifics of his revelation, but Hercules had told him it was "Right after seeing a photo of a painting of George Washington with his aide de camps, you know the ones, right? Mchenry, Laurens, y'know?" Which only triggered Hercules' revelation seconds later.   
Needless to say, the two friends had an eventful week.  
  
But now, four years later, the pair were starting their second year Columbia Boarding School- One of the best in the state,  _'Known for the wealth of historical figures!'_ , as his father had claimed.   
( _His father had kicked him out of home merely weeks later._ )  
  
"You reckon we'll find the others this year?" Hercules jabbed John in the side as they walked, sun bearing on their necks.

"God, I hope so. You wouldn't believe what I'd give to see Laf again." John sighed, "An- Wait. Herc."  
Hercules made a confused noise, before following his eyeline along the walkway.  
There, a few feet infront of them, a tall man stands. His hair in a ponytail, darkened skin complimented with a yellow sweater and dark jeans. Light stubble, endless limbs.  
He doesn't look like he did before, but none of them do.  
"H... Hercules?  _John_?" His voice is a mixture of heavy French pronounciation and an awkward, faux-Boston accent. It's impossible, but it's so likely too.  
John lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding.  
  
" _Lafayette_...?"

* * *

 

James had his revelation on a school trip when he was fourteen. He could remember it with crystal-clear accuracy- He'd stepped off the bustling school bus, cane clacking loudly against the gravel, when Thomas barrelled into him.  
The air had been knocked from his lungs, rain cutting into his skin like daggers and he'd grazed his knee.  
Thomas cried out, embarrassed and guilty when he'd collided with a kid who  _couldn't walk_.  
Thomas had lent his hand to James, but he couldn't respond- All he could think about was  _when this happened centuries ago, they'd just left a room they'd been debating the state government's funds and the Reynolds' Pamphlet and presidency and his library and no one wantedhimtobepresidenthowdidthishappenohmyg_ -

"Excuse me, I'm sorry, my key..." A voice, lilted with an unknowable tone, jolted him. James had to think about where he was for a minute, realize he was in  _Columbia_.  _Again._    
"Sorry?"  
"My keys, you seen?" This kid, shorter than him by a head, covered in a thick jumper too big for his frame, glossy, greasy hair atop his head, looked up at him.  
His face was almost diamond, eyes brown and piercing. His skin was tanned, a pretty olive color. "Huh?"  
The kid rolled his eyes, muttered something under his breath that sounded like  _Spanish_? "I lost my... keys..? You seen them? They were... Here, perhaps?"   
James felt his eyebrows furrow, looked around- There wasn't much, they were outside the password-protected door into a dormitory area, but there was a nice courtyard, buildings surrounding it. Chairs everywhere, some desks too.  
"Your keys?" James asked, looking around the pair. The pair of standard-issue keys everyone was given wasn't on the ground, but there were empty crisp packets and scrunched pieces of paper. The boy shuffled his feet. "I don't see any. What's your name? And room number? I could go back to Peg-."  
"Alexander Faucette. I... 1755." James had to stare at him for a few moments, to try and get his head around what he'd said. This kid spoke fast, but the  _way_ he spoke- He wasn't a native English speaker, was he?  
"I'm James Mann, formerly... Formerly James Madison. Guess we're roommates?" James forced a smile, extending a hand. The kid -Alexander- grasped it with a cold, rough hand. Shook it once.  
"It's good to meet you, James. You can call me Alex? I don't mind. Can you see keys? I have to find them. I don't have money for more." He smiled too, James assumed it was genuine.  
"We can find them, if you want? Classes aren't until next week, though, so it's no stress if we can't."  
Alexan- Alex nodded. Smiled again, then asked (told?) him to open the door to the dormitories.

 

* * *

 

Eliza was born with her memories.  
So was Peggy, and Angelica. They were foster siblings- All born on the same day to different families, adopted by the same family two years later. They’ve been inseparable since.  
Despite this, they all sought different paths. Angelica skipped three year levels and started at Columbia before them, but now Peggy and Eliza were starting their Junior year at a boarding school their father wanted them to start.  
They knew what they wanted to do at a young age, these choices were cut and dry for them.  
But now, as Eliza skirted around a tiny man and a slightly taller man with a cane, she began to second-guess herself- In her past life, she'd been amazing at teaching her children, but now...  
It didn't matter. She wanted to be a primary school teacher, and that's what she'd be. Eventually.  
She just hoped she'd meet more reincarnates on the way.

* * *

 

  
"So... Where're you from?"  
It'd been a full twentyfour hours since James had met Alexander, and in that time James had witnessed Alexander:

  1. Drink three pots of coffee
  2. Sing all of Les Miserables, in Spanish
  3. Fail eleven(11) times at putting on a fitted sheet
  4. Get stuck in a duvet cover four(4) times
  5. and fall off his bed while trying to hang string lights



This boy was a mess. And James was  _living_ for it.

"Carribean, I have lived there my whole life life. I came here tod- yesterday morning, early. You pass me the chicken... wings?"  
They were sitting on their floor- Manky grey carpet, enough floor space for the two school-owned beds and desks, but not much more.- eating KFC. James was desperate to get out, but didn't want to leave Alexander alone. Right now, he was his only friend, which was a bit sad. Neither of them minded.  
"Really? Which part?" James passed Alex the bucket, watching as Alexander typed on his tiny nokia. "Also, we have to get you a computer- You know everything's done online now?"  
Alexander nodded, pretending to ignore James's first question. "Yes. I have one already, the school gave it to me."  
James nodded to himself, before getting up. "I'm sorry to leave you, but my dad's expecting a call from me, I'm gonna go down to the courtyard. See you later?"  
Alexander didn't respond, so James made sure his phone was pocketed before leaving the corridor.

As James around the staircase, cane clicking as he made each step, he realized check-in for the rest of the boarders was today. Heart speeding, he checked his phone-  _Twelve thirty_ \- Check in was at three. Evaluation at three thirty.  
He let out a sigh of relief, only cut off when his phone began to buzz.  
"Hey, dad."

 

* * *

 

 

"Alright, everyone! Welcome back to Columbia Boarding School! Or welcome, if you're a Sophomore! We have plenty of new faces, I'm glad to see it!" Alex kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with his peers. They were sitting in some sort of auditorium, students sitting on random couches and cushions.  
The man talking was giant, he'd greeted everyone as they walked in, and Alexander could have sworn he was at  _least_ a foot taller.  
"So, everyone's gotten settled in I hope? I know many of us here are Reincarnates, and I'd just like to remind you all that  _I_ am the person to go to if you have any questions, concerns, or Revelations. Just to remind those who don't know, I'm George Walsh, formerly George Washington. Would the others like to introduce themselves?"  
This was when Alex raised his eyes, studying each person as they spoke- He knew they were teachers, but what did they teach?  
George Walsh was dominating, but the next teacher  _"George King_ , _formerly George the third, of Britain,"_ was downright terrifying. He had a long face, and the definition of "White," with blonde hair, blue eyes, and the creamiest skin he'd ever seen.  
There were three other teachers, but Alex lost his train of thought when Walsh caught his eye. The man was dominating, if he could even call it that- He had piercing brown eyes, completely clean shaven- Honestly, he looked like an egg.  
He nodded at Alex, sending a smile, and Alex looked away, back to the yellow couch he'd been sitting on. His stomach filled with a strange, guilty feeling. He felt James shift beside him.  
"You know I'm Madison, but did you know I worked with him during my first life?" He whispered, and Alex shrugged back. "Can you come with me to talk with him after? I don't want to go alone."  
He didn't catch the rest of the presentation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading this! I know it's a bit short, but hopefully that'll change!  
> I'm not really American and I've never been to America, but I'm kind of surviving off knowledge I have of Australian universities/schools (l m a o) to ~form~ this, but please correct me if anything is so out of the ballpark that you can't see what's up from down.
> 
> Also I'd just like to mention that alot of this is gonna be really crappy? I'm kind of basing alot of this off history, so like Aaron Burr was a Hot Mess but also Super Energetic, while Hams was kind of a spoilsport? I wanna feed off that lmao
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! I thrive off constructive criticism so please feel free to yell at me about anything I did wrong or should do!


	2. Maybe meeting up w/ ur friend's cousin's friend's friends isn't the best idea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of a trigger warning? Alex has an anxiety(panic?) attack- It's v. vague but there are obvious intrusive thoughts? it's from the second body paragraph ("the smell of coffee...") and ends at the beginning of the third ("Aaron Beive lived...")  
> I'll put a chapter summary at the bottom so if you choose not to read that bit you can just read that!  
> I just want to let you guys know that when writing from alex's perspective there will be mentions/desc of anxiety, but I'll always put it into notes so that you guys know when it starts/ends!:)))
> 
> Also!!! oh my god!!! thank you so much to everyone who's left kudos and comments! honestly it means so much to me that people are enjoying this and want to leave kudos/comments! thank you so so much to everyone who's reading this fic!

"I can't  _sleep_." James moaned, burying his face into his scratchy, tough pillow.   
It wasn't  _late_ , Alexander knew, but it was probably late for James. Alexander rolled his eyes, glancing at the Nokia phone on the side of his bed. "It's midnight."  
"I  _know_ , Alex, but tomorrow you're coming with me to meet some other reincarnates! I ca-need sleep!"  
Alex looked over from his book, watching James's figure. Yellow light was streaming through a window between their beds, coming from a lamppost somewhere. The light was hitting the boy's head, creating long streaks over his black hair. Mumbling, he tried to figure out how to say what he wanted in English. "You're... a pullover...?"  
"Pushover. And of course, I am! My best friend's cousin wanted to catch up, obviously I'm gonna agree!"  
"And I come?"  
James peered at him, barely moving his head. "You need to make  _friends_ , Alexander." His previously playful voice took a menacing shift.  
Secretly, Alex knew that. He knew James had friends already, and his best friend was in France. He knew he was boring, and a bit slow with English, but that didn't mean he didn't deserve friends.  
When Alex didn't respond, James sighed. "Well, friends that aren't  _me._ " Alex felt himself deflate.  
"Wait, no, Al, I meant like... You're my friend, okay? And I'm desperate to be your friend. But I'm sick all the time, and the pain condition I have? It means I can't be with you all the time, y'know? So... you need... other friends too, so you're not alone."  
He didn't buy it, but nodded anyway.  
Tomorrow would be different.

 

* * *

 

 

The smell of coffee swam through the air, sounds of quiet conversations, knives on plates and hushed laughter filling the coffee shop. During orientation, one of the counsellors explained that students could leave campus after classes and during weekends, but had to be back by seven at night. It was clear to Alex that James intended to take full advantage of this situation.  
So, here they sat, sipping hot coffee in a booth by a window, talking about nothing and watching people walk around on a quiet Tuesday afternoon.   
Alex could feel the itch of boredom seeping into his bones- Classes wouldn't start until Monday, but the school wanted all students to be "settled in" before school officially started.  
James, noticing Alex's shaking legs, told him that his friends (their friends) would be here any minute now, but that did nothing to quell the pit forming in his stomach. A hazy cloud settled over his brain, and he couldn't stop thinking that he  _shouldn't be here, couldn't be here, no one wants you here. Don't take a long sip of the coffee, people'll think you're weird. Don't not drink though, James'll think you're stupid. Don't drop the mug, oh my god. Just nod and smile, it's not that hard it's not that hard you're being weird again what are you doi -,_

"What time is it!" Alex could feel the adrenaline surge into his bloodstream. Cafes were supposed to be  _quiet_ , not full of shouting (singing?) people. He felt his lungs shrink, anxiety pooling in his stomach.  
"Showtime!" Another voice yelled, and before he knew it four bodies were pressing into James' and his booth.  
Three people squished into James' space, ignoring his strangled cry. "James, buddy, bro, man, how are you? I haven't seen you since... Since Thomas tried to convict  _me_  of treason! And, how are you? What've you gotten up to recently? Have Jeff and Ham been reincarnated?"  
"Aaron, Aaron chill! I thought you wouldn't be reincarnated! Can't say I've missed you..."  
Alex began to zone out, a steady breathing rhythm coming from a warm body next to him. His mind began to drift, falling into a weird calm.  
A hand brought him back seemingly moments later.  
"-Kay? You seem super out of it."  
"Huh?"  
"And he's back. Guys, this's my roommate. He's super chill, honestly. Alex, wanna introduce yourself?"  
_Introduce?... Oh!_  
"Uh, I'm Alexander Fau... Faucette. You can call me Alex, or Alexander, I don't mind. I lived in the Caribbean." He looked up, taken aback when four pairs of eyes met his.  
"Good to meet you, uh... Alex. I'm Aaron Bieve. I was Aaron Burr, ex vice-president." The first boy to speak, squished into James's side, was medium-built. His voice was like the cinnamon hot chocolate his mother used to make- silky-smooth, with a caring, matter-of-fact tone. He looked casual- A large smile etched into his face, hair cut close to his head, brooding eyes. He wore a dark purple turtleneck, and was quite honestly  _hot_.  
"I'm Gilbert, the  _t_  is silent. It's good to meet you, Alex." The next boy was  _incredibly_  tall. He had a square face,  _amazing_  facial hair, kind eyes, and a large grin. His voice raised and dropped in odd ways- he was  _French?_  To be honest, this man was  _beautiful_. He held himself like he knew it, too- His kind eyes were accentuated with perfect makeup (Alex made a note to ask him to do his makeup one day,) and his dark hair was pulled into a tight bun.   
"I'm Hercules, but call me Herc. I lived during the American Revo." This man looked almost identical to James, the only difference being their clothes and hair- Where James wore neutral colours, Hercules wore loud, statement colours- A bright purple muscle shirt, with a white binder peeking out ( _was that... weed plants drawn on? Oh man, I gotta ask him about it- Were they weed plants? What are they called here? Who drew them on? Does he_ have _weed? Would he share it? Oh my god, he's staring at me, I'm staring at him he probably thinks I'm a bigot, oh my god oh shit o-)_  
  
"And I'm John."  
At this, the world shifted.  _He stared up at a blonde, cloaked man. He had a bayonet attached to his hip, shown off by a blue coat. He wore a red sash along his torso, signifying his status. Kind, haunting brown eyes watched his every move, a hand extended towards him. When had he fallen? He could feel the scratchy coat beneath him, cold biting through a crappy felt coat. "Alexander-,"_  
  
"Faucette. It's good to meet you, John. Are you a reincarnate? James, am I the only non-reincarnate?" He had to steady his breathing,  _what the_ fuck _was that? Where was I? That was..._  He couldn't figure out the persons' name,  _why was I there?_    
"Alex, I swear I've met you before, you're not a reincarnate?" James asked, cutting through his thoughts.  
He nodded. Aaron changed the conversation, but Alex didn't notice.  
All he could think about was that weird... vision (daydream? memory?) he had- a man with a face that didn’t match the one next to him, but a man with an aura that matches perfectly.

He had to get out. He had to get out. He had to get out he  _had to get out you must get out get out get out get out_

With shaking legs, he pushed himself from the table, but was still confined between a window and a body. The walls started to close in on him, his body started to scream for air, (he couldn’t explain to himself why,) and shoved past the body.

 

* * *

 

 

 Aaron Bieve lived four lives before this one.  
First was the one during the American Revolution. His second one was incredibly short, a mere three years- He died of pneumonia and hadn't gained his memories until the day before his death. The third was during world war one. He still hadn't recovered all his memories from that life, but he knew he'd been a soldier for the British. How ironic.  
The fourth life was recent- world war two. (He tried to ignore the fact that every life before this one had been lived during a war.)   
Again, he didn't remember much. All he remembered was being shot, and the laugh of one George Wilkinson. He was so thankful to be reincarnated with Washington, but all he wanted was to see Hamilton again.  
So when Aaron was born for the  _fifth_  time -with all his memories from his first life, and only small snippets of his others, - he decided to give up hope of seeing Hamilton again. He'd been reborn so many times, most reincarnates only get two lives, and even then, it's so unlikely that they have the chance to meet more than two people from their past life. ( _He'd memorized the statistics off by heart- '...Roughly 58% of the earth's population at any given time are new souls, of the 42% of reincarnates, a large 70% receive full Revelations. Only 30% of those find those met in past lives.'_ )  
He knew his last life, World War Two Allen Burck, lived through a very specific " _talk less, smile more_ " motto. Aaron Bieve decided to forget it, and live life to its fullest- Forget Hamilton, forget Jefferson and Theodosia, and Theodosia jr.   
But after finding out that  _Washington_  was the school's counsellor, and then running into Lafayette and Madison, he knew.  
He  _knew_  that this life would be different.  
  
But as he sat in a booth in some cafe Lafayette had dragged him to, sitting in shock after Alexander's sudden exit, he felt a strange swirling in his gut.  
This couldn't be Hamilton, but if Aaron had ever felt so strongly about an individual before this moment, it would have had to be towards Hamilton.  
He couldn't help but feel guilty- He had no idea what had caused the tiny boy (swaddled in an oversized black hoodie and jeans in the middle of summer, shiny hair tied like a birds' nest on his head,) to  _freak out_  like that- He'd only seen it before in his first life.  
When Hamilton had been faced with an ill friend or co-worker, or when a storm broke out. Or when Jefferson bit into him, viciously tearing into his arguments with such malice that even Aaron felt the whiplash- Comments like  _Bastard_  and  _Whore_  and  _Immigrant_  shooting ruthlessly from his mouth.  
When these things happened... Gosh, he could remember Hamilton's eyes turning glassy, his (well dressed) frame shake.  
Washington ushering him out of the room.  
  
What brought him back to reality was James throwing ten dollars onto the table, swiping his cane, and bustling past them.

 

* * *

 

 

George was fully aware that many students were reincarnates.  
This meant that the teacher of twelve years had, recently, fought tooth and nail to get a club going for them.  
As the law told, there wasn't any  _need_ to let other people know about your life status- Other than the government knowing, it wasn’t necessary. But, it was quite common for reincarnates to introduce themselves _as_ reincarnates. This was, often, because many people carried experiences from their past lives close to their heart, and had specific things that set off old memories. (George still flinched when he heard fireworks, still felt the incessant tug of anxiety when his wife is late home during a storm.)  
He knew it would be necessary for students to have a safe space. Despite the "new life, new chance" belief that American society held, many known reincarnates still faced discrimination for past lives (George knew this, again, from experience.)  
This safe space would be run by him. It had started last year, and had been highly successful, so he had full confidence that it'd be a blast this year, too.  
This year, however, he had new plans. He wanted to teach people in the group how to regain all memories, ways of grounding during flashbacks, how to get over previous guilt and how to react to new souls’ comments. He wanted to provide a space for reincarnates to talk about hardships they're facing, or problems within the school.   
Most importantly, he wanted to help those who were unable to meet with past friends, and what to do in that case.  
So, here he sat, at the front of a cosy meeting room, waiting for people to come. (Someone would always show.)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex kind of meets Lafayette, Hercules, Aaron and John!  
> After meeting John, he has a tiny flashback- ' "And I'm John."  
> At this, the world shifted. He stared up at a blonde, cloaked man. He had a bayonet attached to his hip, shown off by a blue coat. He wore a red sash along his torso, signifying his status. Kind, haunting brown eyes watched his every move, a hand extended towards him. When had he fallen? He could feel the scratchy coat beneath him, cold biting through a crappy felt coat. "Alexander-," '
> 
> After this he panics, and leaves.  
> -  
> Again, thank you all so much for reading! If you have any constructive criticism, things I could do differently/should change, etc, I'd love to hear it! I can always improve!  
> I had to change a little bit in the last chapter too, you don't need to re-read it but I realized that it doesn't make much sense if the schuyler sisters are twins, so i've fixed that to being foster siblings!  
> Have a lovely week, and hopefully I'll see you guys again next friday!


	3. electric fences n poorly written angst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for missing the deadline last friday- I'm in year eleven (Junior year???? who knows :/ i've had to use wikipedia for everything to do with america) and d r o w n i n g in assignments/tests/homework and my parttime job so I wasn't able to write a chapter over last week  
> I'm also really sorry for the shortness of this chapter! I really wanted to publish something so I could get back on track haha.  
> but yeah, anyway, thank you guys so much for reading! I can't believe we've gotten to two hundred hits like !!!!!! thank you so much to everyone reading! it really means a lot to me!

James was worried.  
For a few days now, Alex had been building the tallest electric fence around himself. He refused to let James get near him, but fought tooth and nail to keep James around. It was weird, and he knew it was a result of the cafe incident, but he still  _didn't know_  what to do.  
There wasn't really anyone he could talk to about it, either. When Alex wanted to go somewhere, he took James along. When James wanted to go somewhere, he'd offer to take Alex. Alex would always interrogate him- "Will anyone else come?" "What will we do?" "How long?" "Will the cafe people be there?"- which was something that Thomas always did too, before he went to France.  
In the mornings, when they went to the dining hall, Alex refused to leave his side. That was, unless he was called over by John, Herc, Gilbert or Aaron. When this happened, James would go over and Alex would scurry to an empty seat across the hall, not making eye contact with anyone while he hesitantly shoveled cereal in his mouth.  
When they did sit together, the abundance of students and limited seats meant that no one could  _truly_  sit alone, and often a teacher or counselor sat near them.  
Alex wouldn't speak when that happened, and the two times Walsh sat by them, happily talking to James about their past lives, Alex would eat quicker, and leave even faster.  
In short, James was getting more and more worried, but there was nothing he could do about it.  
Twisting in bed, he sighed. Sleep always escaped him, especially on nights like this, when he could feel static in the air, the smell of gunpowder on the wind. He'd never fought in the war, but he could still remember the fear he felt when the  _white house was being burnt down, and his books, his books, his library, gone forever. Books that Jefferson had loved, books he'd written. All of America hating 'Little Jemmy,’ being turned away from so many homes during the civil war-_  
  
"I'm... sorry." Alex's voice was no louder than a whisper, and James almost lost it to his thoughts.  
"Huh?"  
"You... I am... You do not need... I thought you were asleep." Alex stuttered out. James looked to his bed, where Alex's eyes met him.  
James stifled a laugh, but let Alex continue. "I think I'm making you... Be with me...? And I am sorry. I know I'm boring, so you do not have to be with me if you don't want to. I won't be upset."  
"Oh, Alex, no!" James didn't raise his voice, but he made sure to speak normally. Alex looked away. "No, Alex, you're my friend! I'm just- You sure you're alright?"  
He didn't respond for a long time. James thought he'd fallen asleep, and turned back to the wall.   
"I think I'm going weird." James gestured for him to keep talking. "I'm... I have strange dreams. That boy, John...? He is... Is he, sorry, a reincarnate?"  
James nodded.  
"I keep seeing him in my dreams. But it's not him...? It's someone else, but I think it's still him...? When I see him I feel weird. And you, like, I see you and then... Then I think you have a weird hair... hairline? But you don't, and I have to look at you again to make certain that you haven't changed. And I  _hate_  looking at Walsh. I don't know. Sorry. This is weird." Alex began to speak louder, and James watched, helpless, as he began chewing on his nails.  
"Do you want to talk to Walsh about it? You might be a reincarnate yourself!"  
"No. No, that's impossible. Back on Ne- In the Caribbean, my mum got me tested- You know, with the head doctor? - because she was related to one of the founding fathers. She said the doctor said that I wasn't."  
"How old were you?"  
"Seven. My mum died the next year."  
"I'm sorry."  
Alex didn't respond for a while. "Don't be."  
"Well, look, as a reincarnate, I promise you that if I start to see signs of a revelation, I'll tell you right away."  
Alex didn't reply. When James looked over, he was fast asleep.

That morning, the electric fence buzzed to life.

 

* * *

 

"You wanna know what's  _shit_?"  
Eliza covered a laugh, watching Peggy animatedly tell her about her roommate.  
"That girl is  _so fucking hot_. Like, I can't even  _talk_  to her. She’s  _that hot_. And she has a fuckin' boyfriend, too! Like, Jesus Christ, I  _wish_  she was into girls. Like, I didn't elope with a cousin because I  _liked him_ , y’know? Only to come out as gay  _again_  in my  _second life_ , God!"  
"I'm so sorry, Peggy. That must be hard for you." Eliza tried desperately to relate to Peggy, but it was too early in the morning and she hadn't eaten breakfast yet.  
They were only on their way to the dining hall, but somehow Peggy managed to be a morning person on a  _Sunday morning_.  
"'Liza, you already  _know_  it is. So anyway, tell me about your roommate? I still know  _nothing_  about her, and it's killing me!"  
"Well, her name's Theodo-,"  
"Elizabeth Schuyler...?" A low voice called out from behind her.  
Peggy whipped around first, and Eliza could feel the whiplash from where she was standing.  
"That's me, and you are..." She began, turning around, "Madison...?"  
"Yeah." A short boy, with cropped hair and a blue cane stood several feet behind them, a large grin on his face. Next to him stood an even smaller boy, with greasy hair and dark eyes. The first boy smiled at her sister, "You must be Peggy, I'm James Mann, this's Alex-,"  
"Faucette. It's nice to meet you."  
"Hey, Alex, James. Pegs and I were gonna meet up with Herc, Laf and John. Would you guys like to join us?" Eliza forced a smile, trying desperately to ignore the images flowing through her head- Alex was so familiar, and she recognised him from  _somewhere_ , but couldn't place it.  
"Yeah, sure. Alex, you joining us?"  
"No, no I'm fine. I'll... see you later."  
James nodded, and began walking with the two sisters.  
"So, you were Little Jemmy? I've heard a ton about your past life. And what's wrong with-,"  
Eliza began to zone out, mind fixing on a boy she'd met two hundred years before, with violet eyes and a thirst for knowledge.

 


	4. ~exposition~ oooo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yay ~*exposition*~ ooooo

Alexander was regretting forgetting his headphones. James, his new (best?) friend (!!!!) had given him his old iPod Nano to "welcome" him to America the day before, and Alexander had already uploaded James's recommendations.  
Right now, his favourite album (soundtrack?) was Les Misérables, the movie version. He knew the Spanish version, but James said that listening to showtunes would be a quick way to improve his English.  
He'd expected James to sit with him at breakfast this morning- He hadn't at dinner the night before. The kid with stars on his skin, John, had wanted them to sit with him. Alex refused. So, he hadn't brought his headphones with him, because James said he'd sit with him.  
So now, Alex sat in the dining hall, friendless and annoyed, as he ate dry toast. Honestly,  _why_  did that pretty girl (Eliza?) have to offer them a seat? It was like the world  _wanted_  him to fail. It's not his fault that a swirling pool of guilt dripped in his stomach around those people- It's just anxiety (right?)  
As he began on his second piece, he heard the scraping of a chair.  
"Ah, Faucette, just who I wanted to see. Mind if I join you? I'd rather not sit with Adams over there."   
Without looking up, Alex shrugged.  
The man thanked him, dropping dramatically to his seat, a plate filled with eggs and toast clattering to the table. Alex let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding when dark hands began to spoon the eggs onto very burnt toast.  
Just as Alex began to think the man wouldn't start talking, he placed his spoon and knife on the table. "We met the other day, I'm George Walsh. Call me George, though. So, how're you settling in?"   
Internalizing a groan, Alex dropped his toast on the plate, "Good."  
"Great, that's great. You're rooming with Madis- James Mann, right? He's a bright one. How're you dealing with him? You lived in a group home before this, right, son?"   
"Uh, yeah. Yes, I did. James is..." Alex grimaced, trying to find the right word. "He's fun. And interesting, yeah."  
"I thought you two would get along!" Alex looked up at this, meeting George's smiling face. "He's a reincarnate, you know? One of the brightest people I've ever met. You seem sharp as a tack, too. I'm afraid I'm not  _down with the kids_ , as my son says, but you sure have a  _lit ay-eff_ mind there!"  
Alex had no idea what that meant. He chose not to ask. "You have a son?"  
"Yes, Gilbert. I think he mentioned something about you?"  
_Oh shit_.  
"U-Uh yes. Is he French?"  
"Oh, yeah, that'd be confusing, right? Yeah, he's French, but we adopted him a few years ago. He went to France over the summer holiday, though, so his accent's back and stronger than ever!" The man laughed, before taking a bite of his toast.  
"Are you talking about  _moi,_ over 'ere?" Alex tried not to roll his eyes as a new face appeared.  
"Um... Ah, Gilbert, you've met Alex, yes? I was just explaining to him that you're  _Auwh Fwansayz_!"  
" _Au français_ , dad. We've been, how you say, through this before! Mind if I sit? Hercules and John are singing." Before waiting for a reply, Gilbert (perfect as ever,) sat facing Alex. Gilbert gave a small wave, before beginning on his cereal. Alex tuned out George and Gilbert's conversation- He guessed they were talking about the singing, but they spoke too quickly for the early hour.   
Alex decided he was too tired for this.  
"Sorry, excuse me. I have to get dressed." Alex gave a polite smile, before taking his plate and getting up from the table.  
"It was good talking to you, Alex! Please drop by my office later, though, I need to go over some things with you!" George interrupted Gilbert's strange tirade with a knowing smile.  
Alex nodded, before walking off.

* * *

 

Alexander Faucette was a strange kid, George decided.   
He was, unsurprisingly, guarded- But, to an uncomfortable extent. George only really saw him around James, except during mealtimes, and he seemed happy. However, whenever he was singled out, he grew isolated and cold.  
The fact that Lafayette seemed to think that the boy hated him didn't help.  
Gilbert had told George that Alex seemed confused when he met Hercules, and rushed off after he met John. George wasn't one to jump to conclusions, but from what Gilbert had told him, Alex sounded very stressed. Gilbert, although kind, was incredibly judgemental- It seemed to be one of his character flaws, if George thought about it.  
But, God, did he love his son.  
A light tap on his door brought him back to the present, and after he yelled a young man looked in. "Mister Walsh, do you have a moment?"  
"Aaron Bieve, right? I saw you at the Reincarnate meeting on Tuesday. Yes, come in, come in. Take a seat!" George smiled up at the young boy.   
When he'd received Aaron's transfer documents earlier that year, George felt an equal amount of stunned and relieved. After marrying the woman he'd fallen in love with two hundred years before, and adopting one of his old friends, George knew that this lifetime was going to be his favourite. When he'd met John Chappelle and Hercules Luwoye the year before, previously Laurens and Mulligan, his heart soared. And then, to his surprise, he was going to be a main tutor for Aaron Bieve- A man registered as  _four different_ people, two of which he'd spent part of his lives with.  
Despite his annoyance at the current Reincarnation laws, he still appreciated having to register yourself as a reincarnate.  
Aaron sat on the couch infront of his desk, body relaxed and eyes calculating.  
"Sir, I was wondering if... I realize that many people that're enrolled this year are reincarnates from the revolution... Do you know if... Is Alexander Hamilton registered here?"  
_Oh_.  
In all honesty, George missed the hurricane of a boy he'd met so many years ago. It was common knowledge that if an individual had achieved their 'limit' in one life, then they wouldn't be reincarnated, and George was scarily hopeful that Hamilton hadn't achieved greatness in his first life. But every search he's done, every person he's spoke to, every time he'd yelled at Government officials, he's never been met with even the  _knowledge_  that someone had been registered as Hamilton.   
"I'm sorry son," George couldn't look away from Aaron, even as he watched a hopeful gleam in his eyes darken, "I really don't know."  
Aaron began to shrink into himself, and George  _knew_  he needed to backpedal.  
"But, you  _know_  he had a traumatic life, and I'm sure you know better than anyone that that means it could take longer to have a revelation. If we've got -how many? eight...? - revolutionary reincarnates, then it's more than likely that Hamilton's going to show up. And, I've got my suspicions. If we keep an eye out for people with Hamilton's personality, we're bound to find him, if he's really alive. Chin up, Aaron, I know we'll be okay."  
Aaron looked visibly calmer, and George took this as a good sign. "I'll let the others know. Eliza and Peggy are  _desperate_ to see hi-," A loud knock interrupted them.  
"Come in?" George called, mind racing.  
"Sir? You asked to see me." A short boy appeared in the doorway, looking flustered.   
"Faucette, do come in. You've met Aaron, right?" George asked, smiling when Alexander nodded.  
Aaron excused himself, and replaced Alexander in his seat.  
George turned to his desktop, looked up Alexander's initials, and loaded his documents. When he turned back to Alexander, the young boy was chewing on his nails and staring into space. George coughed.  
"So, son, I just wanted to check in with the students I'm tutoring. Did I tell you that I managed to talk both King and Adams out of being your tutor? Your past exam scores are  _extraordinary._  I swear, one day you'll be in the history books. So anyway, before I go through your school documents, I wanted to ask you a few questions."  
Alex nodded hesitantly.  
"I must admit, I don't know much of your history. As your tutor, I really should... Your social worker just hasn't sent me a copy of your case file yet. Can you explain to me your background?"  
Alex grimaced, shrinking into the chair. "Yes, okay. Um, I grew up in Nevis, in the Caribbean. My first language is Spanish- My parents spoke it. I mostly spoke Spanish, French and… Kitts Cree… Saint… Saint Kitts Creole- It’s spoken more on Nevis than Saint Kitts. I know French because my cou… caregiver spoke it, and I'm learning western English. Uh, I've been learning English since... For two years. I started learning when I was fourteen. I have anxiety. I don't have a lot of money. James Mann is helping me with English. Um, I'm a new soul, which is what my mum told me. I think that's... everything...?"  
George smiled again, turning to type the new information into his computer.  
“I haven’t heard of Nevis, care to talk about it? I heard you got a scholarship here after a hurricane.”  
“Yeah. Um, Nevis is the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. It’s in the Caribbean? The capital is Charlestown. I lived in Saint Kitts for four years, but moved after my fath… After something happened.” Alex began developing a stronger accent, and George smiled to himself as he typed. “It’s pretty- Nevis is. Uh, did you know a founding father lived there? I think one of your first presidents? He was definitely cooking on gas. There was a hurricane, yeah. My caregiver… died… in it. I think you know. Uh, I wrote an essay about it…? I got a scholarship after that I think. I moved to America at the beginning of this year.”  
 After a few minutes, he turned back but Alexander  _wasn't Alexander. Violet eyes bore into him, swimming with guilt. A thick, pulsating sadness rushed through him. Hamilton bristled, staring at George defiantly. George glanced at the table, a thick pamphlet sitting on it. 'The Reynolds Pamphlet' was printed in thick letters on the front. "Son, how could you-,"_  
  
"-ir? Sir? Sir, are you alright?" George stared, meeting hazel eyes. He blinked, looked at his desk. Pens and papers were strewn across it, a desktop computer to one side. He sucked in a breath.  
"Yes, yes of course. I apologize." He took another steadying breath, counting backwards from ten. "Okay, so, can we talk about your schedule? You've selected a lot of classes, and..."  
When they finished talking, Washington could barely keep his mind from running.   
There was no way this child was a new soul. He bore a too-close resemblance to one Alexander Hamilton- Fiery eyes, closed off personality... Not to mention his birthplace. But if he wasn't registered, then he hadn't have had a revelation yet.  
After Alexander left, George let out a breath.  
There was nothing he could do. It's illegal to personally cause a revelation, and only a little bit better to put them in a position to do so.  
George resigned himself to lesson planning.

* * *

 

 _ouioui_   **added**   _j.mads_ **to** _roomwhereithappens_ **at**  1:20pm .  
ouioui  **changed**   _j.mads_   **name**   **to**   _littlejemmy_  
Burrthersome: bRO WHAT THE F UCK.  
  
_ouioui:_ phat mod but also !!! yo james   
  
_zero2hero is typing..._

 _littlejemmy:_ oh hi what is Up   
  
_zero2hero is typing..._  
  
_ouioui_ : henlo,,,, okay so like i have to ask ab your friend 

 _littlejemmy_ : yeah sure shoot  
  
_zero2hero:_ what the fukc did i nust fuckin say about this , you lil bitch???? ill have u kno i graduatied top of my class in navy seals n ive been involved in hella secreT raids on alkuaeda i have 300+ confrmed kills. im trained in gorrilla warefare n im the top sniper in the whole us army forces u r nothin to me bust a tarjet i will wipe u the fcku ot w precision like which hasnt been seen b4 on this Earth mark my fuckin words.... u think you can get away wit addin people to m y groupchat over the internet??????????? bitch think again Fucker as we talk im ccontatcting my sceret netwrok of spies across usa and ip is being traced right now so u better be prepared for the storm, dmgaggot next time u frickin add anot...  ** _download message?_**

 _zero2hero:_  laf u better fkcing download that message u maggot  
( ** _read by_** _: littlejemmy, twopints, burrthersome, ouioui)_  
( ** _downloaded by_** :  _twopints, ouioui)_  
  
_ouioui:_ okay Phat mood x two but yah anyway thanks herc  
_ouioui_ : so yo jemms i'm wondering first does alex like us????? bc he seems to Not and i am Stressin rn   
  
_littlejemmy:_  uh i dont kno aactually but i think he does like???? he thinks u’r cool n like he talks ab how fun yall r sometimes but he is very !!!! ykno?  
( ** _read by_** _: twopints, Burrthersome, zero2hero_ )  
  
_ouioui_ : oh cool as also! is he like Okay because he does Not look it  
  
_littlejemmy:_ ya he is o kay yall just scare hhim a little? like idk hes new to america n hes a bit stressed ab henglish rn?????? so like yall r Fast talkers  n ???? I g u e s s? idk he hadsnt talk ab it much?

 _ouioui:_  o lit okay also!   
_ouioui_ **has logged off**

 _Burrthersome_ : His phone ran out of charge. James, Gilbert is wondering if it would be okay to add Alex to the chat? He wants to be his friend.

 _littlejemmy:_  idk if u wanna then i guess?

 _Burrthersome:_ I don’t have his phone number. Can you add him please? :))

 _Littlejemmy_ : ya ok  
( **read by all users at** 1:33pm )  
  
_Littlejemmy_ **added** _alexander f._   **to** _roomwhereithappens_ **at** 1:40pm   
_ouioui_ **has logged on**  
_ouioui_ : henlo FRIEND!!

 _alexander f.:_  whats happening?  
  
_ouioui_ **changed** _alexander f._ **name to** _alex_  
( **read by** :  _littlejemmy, burrthersome, zero2hero_ )  
  
_twopints_   **sent** h..hewwo.png  
  
_twopints_ : also herc wants 2 kno if u want 2 com 2 our party 2nite  
  
_burrthersome_   **has logged off**  
  
_littlejemmy:_ ya i'd like to come which dorm is it  
  
_twopints:_  mine n hercs o_O  
  
_ouioui:_  fuCK i gotta go get ready!! D:  
  
_ouioui_   **has logged off**  
  
_zero2hero_ : we r not gonna drink bc or dorm is rihgt nxt 2 walshs b u t ya therell b music n snacks n videogames n gossip woo also who tf is comin cause i don ot remember  
  
_twopints_ : peg eliza aron ???? u h laf? angelic said mayb but she mite not bc shes in Final Year uhhhhhhh ??? elizas roomie?? im 2 high 4 this uh?? idk who else  
  
_alex:_  ill come if james comes  
  
_twopints:_  lit ok!!! <3! also do u like weed bc we can chase out the smell if u Want??  
  
_alex:_ i dont mind  
  
_littlejemmy:_  ya ill come but p l e a s e chase out the smell i am Asthma   
  
_twopints:_ hes asthma  
  
_zero2hero:_  he's asthma  
  
_alex:_  hes asthma  
  
_twopints_ **changed** _james_   **name to** _asthma_  
  
_:_ >:( jon pls send me the Deets bc i dont kno when to get there / where u r  
  
_alex_   **has logged off**

 ****  
__  
asthma: also wow thanx guys i havent??? seen alex actually Want to go to somethin so??? wowe thank! <3  
  
_asthma_ **has logged off**  
  
_zerotohero:_  ;)  
  
_zerotohero_ **has logged off**  
  
( **read by:**   _twopints_   **at** 1:55pm )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I realised that???? spanish isn't really spoken in nevis/st kitts??? ? whoops????? also thank God for wikipedia bc i failed geography s o badly lmao  
> So like also i just wanted to make it clear that although hercules is a trans character in this, I am not trans (i'm lgbt tho woo) so i'm really sorry if i say anything offensive/wrong- I'm doing as much research as possible but i won't have many parts from his pov just bc i r e a l l y dont want to do anything ignorant!  
> if y'all would like to give me advice or anything that'd be super nice! u dont have to tho!  
> also, like james's character, I d o use a cane. I have a chronic pain condition, and I use a cane probably 60% of the time??? so like i'm really sorry if james comes across as too ooc- please let me know!  
> that texting bit was super hard to write??? like hello 000 how can u base gcs off ur own gc without makin it too ooc????? u cant???? o rats  
> yeah so like thank you so much for reading!!! i'm so sorry that this one was also a bit short, but i'm v busy with school lmao  
> I love u all so much! every single comment, kudos or hit means the world to me! feel free to give me any constructive criticism or info! thanks!


	5. it's time for not-quite big fun (big fun!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny chapter, I'm so sorry!  
> So like trigger warning for the use of recreational marijuana, (nothing violent or noncon, just i live for Stoner!John) and anxiety (not serious again, but def. intrusive thoughts)  
> Also like brief af mention of suicide? like it's not a Major Part, but it's definitely there. It's in the "It wasn't late for George..." bit, and the line for it starts with "Martha was a children's psychologist." It ends after "And had written a book on the subject."
> 
> Please let me know if you need a chapter summary!

There was something about that party invite that didn't seem right to Alexander.  
He never went to many parties, but as he stared at the closed door infront of him- Voices echoing from inside, he felt waves of anxiety flow through him.  
These people  _hated_  him, why else would they invite him? They just wanted to laugh at him, have him say something stupid. John wanted him to get high and tell him secrets, Gilbert would ask to do his makeup and make him look stupid, Hercules would just  _laugh_  at him, and Aaron...  
Alexander felt white-hot fear shoot through him, radiating from his gut, encircling his body. Aaron would play an act. He'd be his friend for a while, maybe months, or maybe years, and then... When Aaron knew him best, Alexander  _knew_  Aaron would humiliate him. He'd tear him to shreds.  
He was about to turn around, when the door swung open, Aaron watching them through lidded eyes.  
"Hey guys, come in! We're just waiting for Eliza and Peggy. They're bringing pizza." Aaron waved James through.  
The room was the same as theirs- Two beds sat by the door, a desk at the foot each. Unlike their dorm, a small TV sat facing the door, leaning against the wall separating the beds. Next to it were two dressers- Brown wood, both with personal items on them. One had a small glass bong, the other had books.  
Alex heard a giggle, and turned to the bed nearest the bong. John was laying on it, staring at the ceiling intensely. Alex could hear him murmuring in Spanish. Hercules sat beside him, playing on his phone.  
"Hey guys, James 'n Alex are here."  
"When's Laf getting back?" Hercules looked up at them, waving shyly.  
"He's taking Eliza and Peggy to grab pizza, they'll be ten minutes probably." Aaron led them through and sat on the other bed. James moved to sit next to him, and Alex sat on the floor.  
He felt uncomfortable- This wasn't  _normal_. Is this what a party is? Where's the alcohol? And the weed? And the music?  
"Hey... Alex's... He's here... Hercules, when'd Alex..." He watched as John sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Hey, Alex... What's up...?"  
Alex glanced at James. "Hi John, how are you?"  
John laughed softly, "Hi Alex, did'ja know... I'm  _so, so_ high..." He spoke slowly, and moved to get up. "Herc can you... Move. I... Alex is here!"  
Hercules nodded, and John began to stand. As he walked over, he felt Aaron tap his shoulder.  
"John's taken  _tons_  of hits, just like, I dunno. Let him do what he wants to do, yeah? He gets sad easily."  
As John fell next to Alex, knocking his head on the bed, he grinned. "I've missed you  _so much_..."  
The door swung open, and Gilbert sauntered in, holding a pizza box. Eliza and Peggy followed.  
"D'ya wanna... Ya should... Have a hit?" John stared at Alex.  
"Uh, no, thank you."  
This was going to be a  _long night._

An hour later, and John was entranced.  
Here sat this... This incredible kid, with the most intelligent eyes he'd ever seen, and he was leaning  _against him._  
Alexander Faucette, next to him. He smelt like  _Lush_ , like bubblegum and dusk and summer and lemonade on a hot day.  
He looked like the moon personified, all dark eyes, dark hair, and dark skin. He held himself like a leaf, hunched over himself but still, somehow, confident. And he was  _tiny_ \- All oversized jumpers (in summer!!!!!) and dark jeans, dark hair pulled into a disgustingly messy ponytail.  
In all meanings of the word, he was  _attractive_.   
John's heart swelled at the thought of him. Holding hands on a cold day, sharing popcorn while watching shitty movies, waking up together and cuddling for warmth. Meeting his family, ( _He could never meet John's family..._ ), having dates at McDonald's at three in the morning, celebrating birthdays, talking about their past lives...  
John was entranced, in all meanings of the word.  
And John couldn't concentrate on anything else- He couldn't focus on his guilt, on the sadness that fills his heart when he looks at Gilbert and Hercules, on the anger he ( _doesn't want to, never wanted to_ ,) feels when he sees Aaron. All he could concentrate on that slow, steady rise and fall of Alex's chest as he ( _knowingly?_ ) leaned into his shoulder.  
_Fuck_.  
He didn't know when he'd come down from his high, now that he thought of it. He never could remember the full details of a high, either, but that doesn't matter to him when Alex leans on him, his heart full of a sleepy giddiness that he never wants to leave.  
He remembered feeling like this, a thousand years ago, during  _Valley Forge,_  when every day was a test of their camaraderie and bravery. Despite the starvation, how  _cold_  they were, how many people were dying... He remembered one night, when Hamilton had managed to steal some rum from someone's rations, and they'd drunk so much that they couldn't deny themselves anything any longer. He remembered those  _fingers on his spine, scratching red-hot trails down his back, the long fingers in his hair. How Hamilton had mapped his freckles, and how he'd told John about his childhood afterward_...  
Peggy's loud, slightly obnoxious laughter interrupted his thoughts.  
"So, like, guys, the moment you've been waiting for! I think we should play...  _Dun-da-da-da-dun dun!_ " Peggy stood up, knees cracking as she unfurled herself from the floor. "Truth or dare!"  
"Do we have to?"  
"Herc, are you stupid? Of fuckin' course! It's a  _party!_ " Aaron grinned at them, and John felt Alex shift beside him.  
He hadn't realised that Alex had dozed off, but now that he thought about it... There was no way that he hadn't- Alex had deep crescents under his tired eyes, and his breathing had been steady.  
"I agree with... I think Peg's right... How're we pla-," He coughed. "Playing again?" John grinned at Alex. Peggy explained the rules, before ordering everyone to sit on the floor, except for James.  
"I'm going first," from the bed behind them, James declared cheerfully. "So, Eliza, truth or dare?"  
"Truth."  
"Fuck. Okay, uh... I didn't think of one. Um, I truth you to... I mean, tell us... Tell us your biggest secret...?"  
"God, you're lame. Okay, um... In my first life, after the Reynolds affair, I broke  _all_ of Hamilton's quills." Eliza grinned, scanning the room dramatically. "Herc, truth or dare?"  
"Dare."  
"Okay, John, do y'all keep sodas in here?" At John's nod, she snickered. "Okay, so..."

After a few more rounds, John answered his question before turning to Alex. "Alexander. Truth or dare."  
Alex flinched, moving away from John. (John ignored how deeply he missed that warmth.) "Alexander?"   
"Uh... Dare...?"  
"Sick as. Okay, I dare you to get onto Aaron's shoulders and sing something from  _Les Mis_."  
"How would I... Okay. What do I sing?"  
"Hey, Aaron, did you end up doin' your fuckin' dare?" Peggy asked, grinning wickedly.  
Aaron let out a deep sigh, and the group laughed.  
"Mmkay, guys, hear me out. They should sing  _Master of The House_  together!" Peggy burst into laughter, almost hitting Aaron, who was sitting beside her, with a hand.  
"No? No, we should  _not_. Walsh lives next to you, like please go and bag your face." Alex glared at him, and John almost missed that flash of  _something_  in his eyes. __  
"You don't have to do it, if you don't want to." Eliza watched him intently.  
Alex shook his head. "Monkeys know what tree to jump on, I guess."  
"Bro, you have the  _weirdest_ sayings." Herc laughed. "Not to be rude, Laf's the same, but what does that  _mean_?"  
"Um, it's creole... Uh, I guess... You know who you can... Play with...?"  
"Okay. Now get to it!"

 

* * *

 

It wasn't late for George, to be fair. It was only ten, and George suspected he'd have another hour or two left to go on his lesson plans. He'd been skyping Martha for the past hour- They had a good deal going, George would come home each weekend, and they'd spend the weekends together, before they both went their separate ways.  
They were married. They'd met in university, and were engaged by the summer- Some said they'd been rushing into it, but they were truly  _soulmates_ , in every meaning of the word.  
Martha was a children's psychologist, specifically in the reincarnation areas, and their living situation was perfect for her work. Reincarnation therapy was something that took  _hours_ \- George didn't know much about it, but there was a huge amount of research that went into it, and many children suffered from mental illnesses they'd developed in their past lives. Therapy was intensive, and Martha much preferred to have her patients see her once a week, if not more, to ensure that the next generation of reincarnates were going to live properly. (So, so many reincarnates would kill themselves after their full revelation. George had almost been one of them.)  
Martha was, honestly, one of the smartest people George knew. She'd studied for a PhD in children's reincarnation therapy, and had written a book on the subject.  
  
So, it wasn't late for George. He hadn't been getting ready for sleep, and he'd finished talking to Martha ten minutes ago. He was just setting up his lesson plans.  
And then a  _terrible_  singing voice cut through the walls.  
He wasn't even sure what song it was- It was just  _loud._  And there were other voices, too- There had been all night, but the voices had divulged into laughter and jeers, and George wasn't sure if they were complaining or egging the singer on.  
Just as George was about to search through his desk, (to look for his noise-cancelling headphones,) a  _second_ singer joined the fray.  
Something had to be done. It was ten at night- The night before school, no less. If the dorm beside him had a party, they'd miss the first official day of school.  
George sighed, getting out of his chair, knees cracking with the effort. He made his way across the room, into the hallway, and next door.  
He knocked three times.  
A crash from inside followed. A yell, and then another one (" _Peggy, you piece of shit!_ "), and the door opened.  
Hercules was at the door. "Hey, uh, sir. What's up?"  
"Hi. Can you quiet down please? Oh, hey Gilbert. Can I ask why you are having friends over now?" George peered in, holding back laughter when he saw ( _Elizabeth and Margarita Schuyler?)_ , Gilbert, James, and John sitting around. In the middle of the room, Aaron and Alexander were lying on the floor, the latter laying  _on_ Aaron, looking mildly terrified.  
"Well, we were just gettin' them out now, sir, but then we had an... Accident...?"  
"Are you telling me this, or asking me?"  
"Telling you." John coughed, "Also, sir, can I tell you how  _professional_  that dad-outfit is?"  
The group divulged into laughter, with the exclusion of Alex, who'd rolled off Aaron and had his back now facing the door.  
George sighed, "Thank you so, very much for that insight, Laurens. Now, it's about time you all headed off to your rooms, isn't it?"  
"Oh, of course it is. Alexander and I'll just be going then..." James took Alex by the arm and shoved past Hercules, before nodding at George on their way out the door.  
"Good night, sir!" James yelled, which the other kids echoed.  
"If you guys sing again tonight, I swear I'm going to come in there and haul you to the curb."  
At this, George turned and started walking back to his room.  
_God_ , he was in for a long term.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm really sorry for not posting last week! There's a lot going on in my life rn lmao  
> Also I'm sorry for the length of this chapter! I had to include it but it's a m a s s i v e filler basically :/  
> Next week I won't be posting a chapter- Year eleven exams are next week, so I'm Studying all weekend/week lmao
> 
> See you guys soon! Thanks for reading!


	6. flashbacks n not great angst :/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS CHAPTER IS U N E D I T E D - I WILL EDIT IT OVER THE WEEKEND ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> So like alot of the first few paragraphs are kind of angsty? Like it's about Alexander's childhood so its v angsty and there's a bit about him being religious n stuff but then losing faith, so if you don't want to read it it starts from the beginning and ends at "He didn't sleep much, after that."  
> I'll put a chapter summary at the end!  
> I'm not religious, but Nevis and St. Kitts are highly religious areas, so I really wanted to include that in this. If anything said is offensive or uneducated, please let me know! I can always do better, and i feel like learning from others is super important!

That night, Alexander could feel his lungs burn.  
He knew it was a dream- He knew, he knew, he knew!  
But it felt so real, and the water rushing into his lungs was so powerful and burning and forceful that he couldn't breathe.  
He couldn't remember how this started. He just remembered talking to his mama, but it wasn't really his mama, and then a wave hit their house and she was swept out. She left Alexander to die. And then he woke up. And then he was alone.  
  
The dark never frightened Alexander. He'd always been a brave child, and everyone would always say that. But then, when he was eight, his mum developed malaria, which he then caught. They didn't have the money for two sets of medication, and his mum died within the week.   
Alexander was found by his cousin after that- Hunched over his mother, tears streaking his face, yellow lights from outside the bedroom window casting long shadows across the sparse, wooden furniture. The room smelt like death, and Alexander reeked of it. He guessed that Peter had taken pity on him- He and His mum had lived in a two-bedroom house, right by the Nevis' coast, and went hungry most nights. They were lucky enough to have a television- An old boxy one, but a television no less, and they had each other. Each winter, before her death, his brother, James, his mother, and him would watch bad movies and drink hot chocolate. They'd pray for more food, and that his mother would get more work at the supermarket, and go to bed. Shivering and cold, they'd curl up together on the bed, and talk about their days until they fell asleep.  
It was nice. They had each other. And then his mother died, his brother ran off, and Peter had found him.  
Peter was nice enough. He had money, which was important. And he had a big house, which was nicer, and he always had food in the cupboard, which was even  _nicer_. But he spoke French, and Alexander didn't, so he had to learn quickly to keep up.  
And then a hurricane hit, and suddenly Peter was swept away from him. Alexander hadn't seen him since.  
He decided that he'd died.  
He wondered why he hadn't joined him.  
Since then, Alexander tried not to think too much of Nevis and St. Kitts. He tried not to think of wandering the deserted earth, looking through cracked doors with tear-filled eyes, hoping,  _praying_  for help. Sitting in the church down the street, screaming at the shattered stained-glass murals. Panic attack after panic attack, almost screeching when he felt a hand on his back.   
Crying with relief when it was a member of the Red Cross, saying  _"Hey, kid, what's your name? Where's your family?"_  
  
Crying when the plane left the airport. Sobbing when he flew over a destroyed earth he'd  _lived on_  days ago.  
Silently shaking when he'd left the plane in America. Losing faith when he realized there was nothing left for him on Nevis.   
After all that, he began fearing the dark. And storms. And sickness. And failure.  
He feared a lot of things.  
He didn't know who to tell.  
He could talk to James, but James had his own problems, and it's annoying to talk about things that other people don't care about.  
He could talk to Walsh, but Walsh was a teacher, and Alex didn't, _couldn't_ , want to form a bond with him.  
He could talk to his social worker, but she didn't  _really_  care.  
Alexander was alone.  
  
He didn't sleep much, after that.

 

* * *

 

James sighed, waking up slowly.  
It was the third day of classes, and God, he was already  _sick_  of his knees.  
They burnt when he walked, ached when he sat, and stabbed him when he tried to sleep.  
It was so  _tiring_. He was so  _sick_  of the pains- And of course, doctors didn't believe him, so his parents didn't, and then  _no one_  did. So, the pain got worse, and it seemingly grew and grew and  _grew_.  
There was nothing to be done.  
James rolled out of bed, ignored the empty bed beside him, and got dressed. He combed his damp hair, swiped his cane, and strolled to the communal wash-area.  
After brushing his teeth, he returned to the dorm. Alexander wasn't there.   
James couldn't figure out why, but Alexander had grown cold again. He was like Spring- Hot, cold, hot, cold.   
Every morning since Sunday night, Alexander would be found sitting alone in the dining area, eating burnt toast and drinking strong coffee.  
James began the trek down.

 

* * *

 

"And, so, like, I said  _oh, hey, King, y'know that you're wrong, and the Brits didn't win the war, right?_  And then, fuckin' hell, King was all,  _Oh, but, my dear Peggy, you are wrong. I_ let _them win the war, teehee!_ " Peggy yelled, and Eliza had to stifle a laugh when her flailing hands almost missed a teacher.  
They'd just gotten through first period, APUSH, which Eliza had slept through. It was such a  _boring_  subject. US history was compulsory for everyone, but APUSH? Not quite, and most of the people were dead or reincarnated now, so what'd it matter?  
"Okay, Pegs, that must've sucked. What do you have next?"  
"Ah, fuck. I think I've got, oh shit. Um," Peggy dug into her handbag, finding her phone. "Art! Fuck yes. What'd you have?"  
Eliza sighed, "English."  
"Doesn't dad teach that?"  
Eliza groaned in response, and the girls elapsed into laughter. They were walking through the school corridor- The art wing was nearby, while the general classes were further down, and out the door.  
Honestly, the way this school was designed was  _crazy_. There were three main corridors, all branching off a locker area for the day-students, and then there were solitary rooms outside. These rooms, Eliza was pretty sure were for Science, Languages, Phys. Ed, and Home Economics classes. (She wasn't quite sure yet, though. She had missed the school tour.)  
Peggy waved at Eliza as she began walking toward the Art room, and Eliza took out her phone, beginning to scroll through Instagram as she walked to her class.  
  
When she opened the door to her English classroom, she was met with yells.  
"You are a stupid piece of _fucking shit!_  You're a goddamn  _Dickshit_ , do you hear me? You cannot go around calling people  _cripples_! It's disgusting, you are a ableist fuckhead!" It was Alex.  
He was standing on one of the tables, towards the back of the room, and seemed to be shouting at one of the kids at the front of the room. Sitting on his chair, next to Alex, was James, with his head on the desk.  
"Well, I'll have you know, you  _immigrant scum_ , that it's my right as an American citizen to uphold the beliefs of our congress! And our congress stated the freedom of speech as a human right! Of course, the government doesn't speak  _for_ me, but I  _know_  that the constitution didn't have a place for cripples like Sad-ison over there!" The blonde kid shouted from his seat.  
"You are fucking ignorant...  _Que te folle un pez_! You deserve it, honestly! I swear, if I even have to  _see_  your straw-haired face again I will _chinga tu hermana_ ,  _puto!_ " With that, red-faced and panting, Alex jumped off the desk, and fell (gracefully?) into his chair.  
Eliza bit back a sneer when the blonde kid murmured something about Alex losing that fight, and moved to sit next to James.  
  
This was going to be a long lesson.

 

* * *

 

Alexander  _adored_ history. There were two APUSH lessons, and he'd been put in the second one- ' _APUSH, Walsh, Room 18B.'_  It was for people who hadn't had revelations yet, or had partial revelations. He'd heard it was because they wanted a history teacher who was  _also_  a counsellor. History was always one of his favourite subjects- Hearing about ancient monarchs, old kingdoms and late wars, history was his  _passion_. His ideal career would have to be a historian. Specifically, for ancient wars, but he wasn't picky. Just as long as he could study history in college- That's all that mattered.  
He just needed to be able to learn in  _peace_. No annoying classmates, wanting to talk, or steal his homework, or to debate.  
But when he walked in after English, sat by himself at the back, and hoped for some solitude, Hercules strolled in.  
He scanned the desks, caught Alexander's eye, sent a smile his way, and started walking towards him.  
_Fuck_.  
_No, no, no, no, no, no, no_.  
"Hey, Alex. You here for A-P-U-S-H?" He asked as he dropped his books on the desk.  
He nodded.  
"Great, thank God. I thought I'd be the  _only_  one in this class and I was  _sweating._ " Hercules sat next to him, grinning as he took out his laptop. "So, y'know John, right? Well, like yesterday, after school, he got  _super fuckin_ ' high. Like, I'm talking higher than a  _kite_ , right? And Aaron, his roomie, well, Burr had to stop him from talking to Walsh about their past lives. Wanna know why?"  
Alex, not following, nodded slowly, his eyes turning to the desk.  
" _Well_ , apparently, during the American Revo, him and Hamilton would get  _down and dirty_! He wanted to tell Walsh that he, and I quote, really wanted to tell him how much that meant to them at the time. Like how fuckin'  _gay_  is that? The true gay agenda is to tell your ex-general that he helped you get fuckin' nasty with your boy-toy.  _Gross_ , am I right?"  
"I think I understood all of your words separately." Alex murmured, and suddenly he was  _in the midst of battle, gunpowder filling the air, choking his lungs. He could see a friend in the distance, and felt calm wash over him. A sense of clarity filled him- They had to win, and the only way to win was to steal the opponent's weapons. He was going to steal the cannons._  
He ran over to his friend, dodging bullet after bullet, his lungs filling with smoke. His friend was shooting at someone in a red and blue coat- Screaming at him, telling Hamilton(?) to give the friend cover, when he felt his hands thrust a musket into his hands.   
His vision changed, and suddenly he was  _back with the friend, asking for his gun back. The friend shrugged, and Alex ran off again. He felt his heart race- He was going to die, there were so many bullets and bayonets and no way to protect himself. What the fuck was happening? He felt his body shudder and jolt, a ghost pressure on his right arm, "Hey, man, are you alr-,"_  
  
"Alright? Bro, you kind of spaced out there, was it something I said?" It was Hercules. He felt his breathing slow, his hands shake, and the plastic chair beneath him was grounding him. He felt like he'd just ran a marathon, and his hands ached like he'd been carrying something large and heavy.   
It took a few moments to find his voice.  
"No, I am... I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm sorry, I don't know what happened, um. What class do you have next...?" His voice came out raw and slurred, and he had to think harder about how to say things in English, but he could speak. Thank God.  
"Yeah, bro, if you're sure you're alright." Hercules looked at him with calculating eyes. Alex shifted, feeling bare under his gaze. Hercules knew what was happening. Hercules knew that he was going in- _fucking-_ sane. Hercules was going to tell everyone, he'd never hear the end of how  _'Alexander Faucette is an actual crazy person who has visions!_ '   
"If you're sure you're okay. You know you can tell me shit, right?" Alex nodded, and Walsh entered the room.  
Alexander had a hard time concentrating after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ya basically we learn(?) that alex's mother died from malaria, moved in w/ his cousin, then The hurricane happened n alex was found and taken to america lmao
> 
> Am I capable of writing long chapters??? hrm doesn't look like it ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> So i got my exams done! I did well on all of them but two, which is alright tbh???  
> thanks for your understanding about me not updating last week- I think I might start posting once every two weeks instead, because rn I'm super stressed out and I don't know if i'm gonna be able to write Good chapters with this schedule  
> Feel free to post any constructive criticism! Thank you to everyone who reads this fic I really appreciate it! <3 because this chapter is unedited, please let me know if there're any mistakes! thank you guys!


	7. nightmares n arguments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the long ass wait, i kind of got very anxious about this fic???  
> so like i've mostly figured out the plot points now, almost all the chapters have been set out now so I just gotta write lmao  
> Also??? There are a Lot of f-bombs whoops, and there's a bit of a tw for nightmares and a character being a little bigoted?

_The sky is dark. The sky is so, so dark, and so, so endless. It stretches on and on, and Alexander can't seem to find where it ends._  
_There are cries near him, but the sky is so dark that he can't see the ground._  
_But he can feel the ground._  
_Between his toes, the ground moves and quakes and shakes. One minute it is soft, the next it is wet. He doesn't know what he's standing on, but he can hear those cries, and those gunshots.  
He tries to scream, but his mouth can't open. He tries to move, but his body is paralysed.  
He hears another shout. It's coming from behind him. He smells mud- Thick, earthy. The smell engulfs him, a dawning sickness rising from the pit of his stomach as he tries to cough.  
Nothing happens.  
He feels it now- A foul stench, like rotten eggs arising from the ground. It's sickeningly sweet, and yet it's disturbingly musky. Like rotten eggs ground into month-old meat.  
The smell gets into his throat, and he can taste it.  
He tries to scream.  
There's a figure now, not far away in this endless valley. There are no trees for it to hide in, no moon to amplify its shadow or stars to light it. There is nothing but the infinite sky and wild ground. And now, this figure.  
It moves closer. He cannot see anything, but a shaded figure. The smell is growing stronger.  
Alexander blinks, and there's a face a pace away.  
He blinks again, and it's_ ~~Ph    ill ip, h e's her  e, b ut he's~~      
  
He's in his bed.  
His heart is racing, pumping a mile a minute. His forehead is wet, the pillow damp. In the bed beside him, James sleeps peacefully.  
Alex felt bile rising in his throat, burning as it forces its way up. His throat feels raw, mouth dry as he forced it down.   
_Who the hell was that face?  
_ Alexander can hardly breathe, his lungs ache for fresh air. He moved to open the window, but then James's voice echoes in his consciousness- ' _Don't open the window, I swear to God Alex.'-  
_ The next best thing was the courtyard, right?   
He rolled out of bed, the light from outside casting shadows across his room. He blindly slipped on his shoes, taking James's key from his bedside table, and slowly fiddled with the room's lock.   
He crept down the stairs, through the corridor, and unlocked the wing's door.  
Fresh air assaults his senses, and his racing heart starts to calm. He grappled for his phone, before realising that he left it at the dorm, and starts walking towards a seat.  
The courtyard is dimly lit, but light enough to see the ground and outdoor furniture. His mind is racing, and dawning horror rises in him as he repeats the dream.  
He knew that face- He could have sworn he saw that figure a million years ago, but where?   
He can't remember the features, but the overwhelming sadness and guilt he felt was so  _real_ , and-  
"Hey, you okay?" A light voice cuts through his thoughts. When he looked up, a tall girl peered down at him. Her long, natural hair was tied up messily. She wore a pale pink jumper and black jeans, and an exasperated gaze was etched in her face.  
"Yeah. Yes, I'm okay."  
"Alex, right? I'm Angelica- My sister was talking about you." When Alex nodded, she fell into the seat beside him. She spoke confidently, like she knew her place in the world. Alex felt ice-cold waves of regret fill him, but no matter how long he thought, he couldn't figure out  _why_.  
"Who is your sister?"  
"Oh, Eliza. You've probably met Peggy too- We're foster sisters. I'm in senior year. You know, Eliza seemed pretty..." Alex fidgeted under her calculating gaze. "Trusting. Of you, that is. She thinks she knew you in a past life, and now that I think of it..."  
She paused again. Alexander decided that this was his cue to talk.   
"Yes, I like Eliza. She's very smart. I don't have a past life- A doctor said I was a new soul. Um, are you a... Reincarnate...?"  
Something flashed in her eyes, and Alex looked down.  
"Right, yes, of course. Yeah, I'm a reincarnate. So's everyone in my family- I was Angelica Schuyler. Most people don't know the Schuylers, but I was alive during the American revolution. I don't know if they told you, but Eliza was Elizabeth Schuyler. Peggy was Margarite. We had tons of siblings, too, but they haven't been reincarnated yet." She shrugged.  
"How do you know if you're a reincarnate?" He felt her eyes bore into him, "Um. Where I grew up, we didn't really talk much about past lives. They're... Uh... Ignored."  
She laughed, "It's different for everyone. For me? I had all these strange dreams, and then I was adopted. When I saw my sisters, everything came rushing through me, and I could remember  _everything_. It's a strange feeling, but imagine splitting your personality in half, and replacing half of it with an older, wiser version of yourself. You'd know if you have a Revelation, honestly. Some people don't remember everything all at once, but other people do. I haven't done much reading, but I think it all depends on what happened in your past life, right?"  
Alex nodded. "I've been having weird dreams. I think they are just nightmares, though- I only came here at the beginning of term."  
"So, anyway, what classes are you taking? I'm taking AP classes."  
"Um, English, APUSH, Chemistry, Maths, AP Literature, Debate, AP World history, Spanish and ESL. I'm a Junior." Alex looked up at Angelica.  
"Huh. Good selection. Is English a second language?"  
"A third language. I grew up speaking Spanish, then French, and I spoke Creole." At her confused look, Alex backpeddled. "Uh, Creole is like... Broken English? But not really? It's spoken on the island I grew up in. I'm taking ESL because I don't speak it well."  
"You're doing a great job, seeing as it's not your first language."  
Alex nodded his thanks, before Angelica passed him her phone.   
"Put your number in."  
After typing his number, she stood up. "Well, Alex, it was good meeting you. I gotta go to bed, so I'll see you around."  
He waved, and she left.   
Alex stood up, and began walking back to his dorm.

 

* * *

 

 "Hey, hey, Alexander Faucette, right?" Alex looked up from his desk, meeting the cold eyes of the blonde kid he fought with the day before.  _Fuck_.  
"Yes. Samuel Smith?"   
"Seabury. Mind if I sit?" The blonde kid- With intensely pink skin, blonde eyes, and almost ginger-coloured hair - Tipped his head to the empty seat. James was late to class, and they had five minutes until the bell went. Alex shrugged in reply. "Great, thanks, 'Lex."  
Once seated, the boy grinned at him. "So, uh, I wanted to apologize. What I said was uncool, and I shouldn't of provoked ya."  
"You should tell that to James. I don't care about your apology." Alex ground his teeth, trying desperately to keep his cool.   
Besides, Samuel hadn't provoked  _him_ , he'd said something downright offensive and Alex was just protecting a friend who couldn't ( _wouldn't?_ ) speak up for himself.  
"Well, I wanted to apologise to you first, y'know? Like, it wasn't  _okay_  for me to call your friend a cripple, but I hadn't expected ya to get all Hulk on me, right? Of course, I wouldn't expect an immigrant like you to keep a level head, right? So, I wanted to say sorry for sayin' those things, and then makin' you hulk-out. So, friends again?" The kid grinned, beaming white teeth as straight as a graveyard emerging from his face. Alexander shivered, before his words finally sunk in.  
"I miss-heard you. What did you call me?" Alex gave off a fake, thin-lipped smile.  
The other boy blinked, his smile unrelenting. "Why, an immigrant of course. That's what you are, no?"  
"Fuck off." A new voice entered the conversation- Smooth like honey.  _James_. "Seabury, no one gives a flying  _fuck_  about your bias. Kindly leave before Walsh gets here and kicks your ass."  
"Oh, of course, Sad-ison. Also, I'm sorry for callin' ya a cripple." He raised his arms defensively, before scooting the chair backwards. A high-pitched whine erupted from the floor, before Samuel stood up. "See ya later, immigrant." And suddenly  _he's standing on a pier, the salty smell of the sea surrounding him. People brush past him, shouldering him and telling him to speed up or move. They're wearing odd clothes, the men with small hats under their arms, women wearing bonnets. They wore simple clothes, with some couples wearing more intricate designs. Some men had weirdly long wigs on. Alex was being knocked around, and could barely see a foot ahead.  
He's waiting for someone. He doesn't remember their face, only that their name is Mulligan and they're coming back with clothes for him and money and they said they'll give him somewhere to stay where are they where are they where are-  
  
_ "Hey, you okay?"  
Alex coughed, feeling waves of frustration, guilt and nostalgia crash over him. Who the  _fuck_  was Mulligan? Wasn’t that one of James’s friends? The muscle-y guy, with the weed binder? And what was going on there? He’s never been to a pier before, he was never allowed near them on Nevis or St. Kitts. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay."  
"God, what did that tool want?"  
"He said he wanted to  _apologise_." Alex make quotation marks with his hands, his mind racing. "And called me an immigrant. He's so... Weird."  
James groaned, taking his seat. "You can say that again."  
When Walsh walked into the room, Alex blindly followed his instructions to ' _take out a pen and paper, please. We're going to do a quick, fifteen-minute write-up on persuasive languages and techniques.'_  
He stared at his paper, trying to remember what the word persuasive meant, when Seabury’s words began racing through him again.  
An  _immigrant,_ what the fuck? And Angelica, telling him he’s getting ‘ _better at English,_ ’ she just pities him. God, he's pathetic. Can't even pass as American, and can't not have weird daydreams. Even his mother left him, how long would James stay? He's probably already planning to ditch Alex, and then request a room change. He felt his lungs constrict,  _since when was breathing hard?_  He couldn't get air into his body fast enough, and all he could think about was how he'd  _annoyed James, James doesn't like him. He doesn't want to be around him, he's not his friend. He's alone in this world, and always will be. He's so annoying and obnoxious and oh, my God why can't he breathe?_  
The paper infront of him was swimming now, he couldn't focus on the page and  _he has to get out, get out, get out, get ou-_ ,  
He stood up hastily, ignoring the eyes of his classmates. Told Walsh that he was going to the bathroom.  
Couldn't get out of the classroom fast enough.

* * *

 

James ran out of the classroom, after Walsh let him leave. The wind smacked his face, his knees groaned in complaint, but he knew he had to find Alex.  
He'd been acting strange for a while now. And he had to get to the bottom of this.  
James could hear Alex's footsteps ahead of him, in the corridor, so he swung the doors open and charged down the plasticky floor. He could see Alex now, speed-walking ahead of him. Tried to catch up, turning the same corner towards the bathrooms.  
"Hey, Alex! Alex, wait up!" He cried, skidding into the bathroom.  
There, infront of the sink, was Alex. Puffy-eyed and red-faced, swatting at his rimmed eyes with one hand, chewing the fingernails on the other. "What?" His voice was petulant, almost childlike. Closed off.  
"What's wrong? You practically bolted out of there. Walsh is gonna give you a detention if you leave class again. You can't just  _do_  that."  
Alexander huffed, "I don't know. James, it's fine. You should go to English class."  
"Is this about what Seabury said? You gotta know he's just a dickhead."  
"It's  _fine,_ James. I just... I don't know. It made me uncomfortable. I am feeling okay now, I promise." He gave James a painful smile.  
James could see past it,  _knew_  something was wrong. "Alex, bro, we're friends. If something's not right, you can tell me! My friend, Thomas? He knows Seabury. He can call Seabury, tell him to back off." Alex rolled his eyes at that, and James felt anger flare inside him. "Look, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on. If this's some anxiety thing, I get that. Tell me what's going on and I'll help. I can'-I won't be your friend if you're not honest with me."  
"James. I appreciate it, but... I don't need you to stand up for me. I'm a person of my own."  
"Oh, my God Alex! Sure, you want to be  _independent,_  but guess the fuck what? You need friends! I'm here, John's here, hell, fucking  _Aaron's_ here! We want to help you, but you've gone so weird with us lately! I've fought in  _wars_ , Alex. I've been a fucking  _president_. I know how to be there for people, and I want to be there for you."  
  
He watched as Alex straightened up, something flickering in his eyes. His arm drew up to his ear, fiddling with the right one. "Maybe I don't want you to be here for  _me!_ " His voice was loud, words cutting like a blade. He took a breath, lowered his voice. James had to concentrate to hear his whisper. "I know you're only my friend out of pity."  
  
James reeled. "What did you say?" He felt dizzy.  _Was he?_  No. No, it's Alex who's wrong- James  _likes_  Alex. James only wants to be his friend, and friends give each other gifts, friends walk with each other to class. He could feel the blood pumping in his ears.   
Alex's voice was stone-cold. "You are only my friend because you  _pity_  me." He spat the final words, body shaking like a leaf. "You think I'm some poor, sad kid. That I'm some... Pathetic person, because I have nightmares and visions."  
"Alex, that's not true...?" His mind raced, trying to figure out what to say. "I'm sorry that you feel that way, and that I've made you feel like that. But that was  _not_  my intention. You're intelligent, you're witty and funny. I like you for  _you_  Alex, and I'm not pretending to be your friend just to fix you. God, do you fucking  _know_  me? I'm disabled, and I have flashbacks to my past life. You're not trying to fix me, right? It's the same with me! I don't want to teach you to 'love yourself,' or whatever the fuck you think. I'm here to be your friend! And part of that is standing up for you when something's not right!"  
  
Alex stepped back, realization dawning on his face. James took a calming breath.  
"James, I'm sorry... I did not think..."  
"Clearly."  
"I'll... I will go back to class. I'm sorry."  
"Want me to walk with you? I need to go back, too."  
Alex nodded, chewing his fingernails. "Are you going to get a detention?"  
"Nah. I'll try to talk Walsh into letting you off this time, too."  
"Thanks."

It wasn’t until they were sitting back in their seats that James realized he _still_ didn’t know what was going on with Alex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Again, if anyone's got any things I should change please feel free to comment! I'm not very good at writing arguments because i'm super non confrontational, so please feel free to tell me if it's too ooc/forced/etc!  
> Thank you for reading! I really appreciate every comment and kudos! See you guys soon!


	8. a chapter shorter than alex??? seems unlikely but ok

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> there's Brooding, there's aaron. super short sorry¯\\_(ツ)_/¯

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also lmao sorry it's been a whole ass month:/ i promise i'm not abandoning this i'm just hella busy w year eleven:/  
> does this chapter make sense? No. i've got a hella bad headache but felt rlly bad about not writing lmao. Am I gonna edit? probably not- if anyone wants 2 point out big miss steaks please feel free <3

James sighed, feeling the tension in his fist as he clenched it.  _When is Alexander going to learn_?  
He's so... Cold. His deep, swirling brown eyes tell of ancient stories and universes of secrets, and yet there's something James just doesn't understand. He wrapped his arm tighter around his books as he ambled down the corridor. There has to be something bothering him. Is he insecure? Struggling in class? Is it a culture shock?   
Whatever it is, James knows he can't help with it. Seeing so many reincarnates... It's freaking him out.  
He can't stop the waves of guilt that crash over him like a tidal wave when he sees an Old Soul. He's a sinking ship, and his transmitter isn't working because he  _can't ask for help_. There's no one to talk to- Alex has his own problems, Walsh is too busy, his parents can't help and Thomas is  _so_  far away.   
What do you do when you're sinking?  
The thoughts that swirled around his head, following him from his first life, never ceased. The fear he feels when he sees fire never wavered, and the paranoia that he'll  _never pass, never become something, never follow his legacy_  refuses to stop screaming. He's trapped in his own body. But when he sits down to Skype Thomas, three pages worth of writings about his feelings infront of him, he can never spit out how lost he is. He can't call his dad and ask him for advice, because he has nine fucking siblings and his parents are way too busy to care about an  _identity issue_.  
His sisters can't know, and his brother is too young to understand.   
He's a sinking ship, not quite built for the weight. He built America to be for the free, and yet he feels as trapped as they come. He's useless, and yet all he wants to do is help Alexander Faucette.  
Alexander Faucette, just as lost as him. Alexander Faucette, whose eyes scream of hidden knowledge. Alexander Faucette, with lifetimes of history backing him. Alexander Faucette, who is too much like a past friend ( _enemy?)_ for James to rest peacefully.  
Maybe he should talk to Walsh.  
Reincarnation club is tonight. James decides to speak with him afterwards.

 

* * *

 

Theodosia was many things. Her report cards declare straight A's, so her family labelled her as gifted. She wants to make everyone feel wanted, so her friends call her 'Mom.' She feels like she lived four hundred years ago, so her peers decided she was wise.  
She's never seen anything that she can't blame on science. She doesn't believe in ghosts, or spirits, or dragons.  
She didn't believe in Santa, or the Easter Bunny, or the Tooth Fairy.  
People say she's levelheaded, calm, cute and intelligent. People say she's ethereal, other worldly, and mystic.  
Theodosia has a place in the world. She's going to finish her education, get a degree in astronomy, and become an Astronomer.  
She's going to follow in the footsteps of her Islamic brothers and sisters, and teach the world about space.  
That's not quite why she's gone to  _this school_  in particular- No, she's going to Columbia Boarding School because her mother did. Her beautiful, intelligent,  _reincarnate_ , mother.   
She wasn't a boarder, though. When her mother died, her father moved them to New York and remarried. They lived close to school, and she lived with her dads.  They were happy.   
Now, Theodosia was walking to her AP Drawing class. She whisked through the corridors, dodging many students- Including one with a cane(????) and a very short, very young kid.   
Caught up in her thoughts, she hadn't seen the tall student until he walked into her. The wind was knocked out of her lungs, her books tumbling to the floor.  
"Sorry, excuse..." She looked up in shock.  
She'd met this man before. Was he in one of her classes? Went to her middle school?  
"Hey, it's fine. Should've been looking. I'm Aaro-  _Theodosia_?"  
They met eyes, and her world came crashing down.

 


	9. character study??? of alex???? wrow,,,,,,,

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bit of a character overview again? super short lol sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> quick disclaimer- theo is not past aaron's daughter, but past aaron was her Husband n i shouldve said that earlier lol  
> I haaaaad like twothousand-ish words???? but then my computer decided to UPDATE ON ME and i lost all of it so??? um? i gave tf up  
> heres what was left of that chapter!! i'm so sorry!! my babe told me to update what i had so far so i could start on the next chapter so lmao here it is!!

Aaron watched, half in horror, as Theodosia's body stiffened. All shock, love, and amazement he'd felt just moments before evaporated as her eyes grew unseeing.   
He hadn't seen a revelation before, only ever his, but what she was experiencing was as clear as day.  
Theodosia Bartow was  _remembering_.  
The love of his life- The person he  _destroyed_ himself over. She was going to make an  _entrance_. She was going to have a new page in her story. God, Aaron didn't know how he was able to wait for Theo- Those three lifetimes, they had so much to recover.  
"Aaron Burr?"

* * *

 

The exhaustion that had settled in Alexander's bones burrowed further with each step he took. His room wasn't even that far, but he was so  _tired_.   
The past few days were adding up- Those sleepless nights, the  _translating_ , and those daydreams... Not to mention, of course, the anxiety and regret that swells inside him whenever he lays eyes on one of the American reincarnates.  
Fucking hell.  
Swiping the keycard James had lent him, the coolness of the room engulfed him like water. He felt his shoulders relax as his eyes roamed the empty room. Everything had been left as it was this morning. His unmade bed on one side, James's perfect one on the other. His christmas lights still blinking, phone still charging. Sitting on a table next to the door was the coffee machine James had bought them a week earlier, plugged in and ready to go.  
The room smelt fresh- Sweet and pleasantly bitter. Like James's weird raspberry candles he liked to burn and Alex's coffee. Alex could already  _feel_ his body relaxing. Dropping his bag by the door, he kicked his shoes off and stumbled towards his bed, falling on it lazily.  
He reached for the iPhone on the desk next to his bed. Felt his fingers curl around the warm edge, and pulled it near him. Staring at the screen, he pressed Spotify and began playing  _Urthboy_.  
The man was a rapper, and an English one, so he let the fast-paced words float over him.  
James wasn’t back at the dorms yet. Why wasn’t he back at the dorms?  
Alex lazily tried to remember where James might be. He had chess club yesterday, and they had debate club tomorrow. Tuesdays weren’t usually busy?  
Alex sighed. James was such a good friend, if he was being honest. James _cared_ about him.  
James bought Alex an iPhone and headphones. James bought them a coffee machine. James let Alex listen to music loudly.  
They had a good thing going, honestly- Alex’s lack of money meant that he had to show kindness in other ways. Stealing food from the day-students’ cafeteria. (Mostly junk food though- James _adored_ Doritos.) Hoarding breakfast and dinner foods from their cafeteria, labelling the boxes with the dates. They were friends.  
At least, Alex thought they were.  
They had to be, right?  
There wasn’t really a way that they weren’t. Unless he counted the fact that Alex didn’t - _couldn’t-_ buy James nice things.  
But that’s okay.  
That’s definitely okay.  
That’s normal.  
Right?  
  
Alex fought to keep away from those thoughts. Instead, he focused on _where_ James might be.  
Tuesdays…  
Tuesdays…  
_Tuesdays…_  
Didn’t he do something every second Tuesday? Yeah, he had to. There was this thing their friends ( _acquaintances?)_ did. For reincarnates. Run by a teacher. Wash? Wilson?  
Walsh.  
James must’ve gone to Reincarnation club.  
Alex thought he’d heard it was for the boarding students. He felt the corners of his mouth pinch upwards. It was good James was making other friends.  
( _Maybe Alex should too.)_  
(Maybe he’s already got them.)  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading y""""all!!! if u guys have any constructive critism or we please feel free to lmk!!!  
> ALSO! i dont rlly know if this is a good idea but would u guys like me to make a tumblr for this? like i'll post things like when updates are happening, sneak peaks, etc??? if not thats ok! just let me know! Thanks guys! xx


	10. apush is Fun and Exciting ft. laurens

The trees were changing colours. Swapping green leaves with its sunset counterparts. Alexander could tell the clear difference as the month passed. The air became sharper, the environment gradually colder.  
Autumn.  
To be honest, Alexander hadn’t _experienced_ Autumn before. During September, St. Kitts would be ravaged by hurricanes, strong winds and stronger storms. September marked the middle of the wet season. September marked hurricanes. September marked loss.  
It was during this month, when the seas were highest, that his father left. It felt like a million years ago. It was eight. He was seven.  
And Alex could remember it _perfectly_. The cold tea, wrapped in sweaty, clammy hands. Sweat, like ice, dripping down his forehead. The thick, oppressive air. The muffled yells coming from behind closed doors. His brother, slightly older than him, crying silently beside him. The suffocating lump forming in his own throat, and the sinking in his stomach as he slowly learnt that this would be the last time he’d ever hear his father yell.  
He could make out every single word. He couldn’t hear his mother.  
He remembered the lack of shock he felt, when his father left the bedroom. They could see their mum sitting, cross-legged, on the floor. Tears covering her face.  
His father left the room, a bag slung across his shoulder. He turned to Alex, sitting on the couch, and smiled. A slight smirk, almost. Not quite a smile.  Then, he turned to his brother, and his smile vanished.  
He left without closing the door. He left without looking back.

Despite what September brought, he couldn’t help but notice the mid-September cold. Autumn was _brisk._  
Chilly and cool, but many days were warm throughout the beginning of the month. As he looked out his window every morning, taking in the beautiful leaves, cloudy sky and preparing for the brisk weather, he couldn’t fight the feeling that he’d _been here before_. That he’d glanced out this window before. Seen this setting years ago. (He tries desperately, failingly, to swallow it.)  
Despite all these feelings, he refused to go to James about it. James had been struggling with his knees for the past few weeks and was doing badly in classes. James was spending more and more time in Walsh’s office. Alexander tried to help as much as he could.  
  
And so, with a sick James Mann shuffling beside him, Alexander stumbled his way towards the cafeteria for breakfast.  
Once inside, James coughed.  
“Alex,” his voice was raspy and brittle, “the rev group’re over there. Waving us down.” Alex, noticing the lack of students on this beautiful, seven-am morning, led the pair towards the group of obnoxiously loud students.  
“Alexander! Madison! Get over here!” Hercules, wearing a dramatic number of layers, called. Next to him was Gilbert, who was lazily poking at a bowl of sludgy porridge. Beside _him_ was Aaron, dejectedly sipping a mug of coffee and staring at the table. Opposite them was John, who was texting someone furiously, his fingers flying across the keyboard. Alex and James slid in next to him.  
John locked his phone and grinned at Alex. His eyes were dull, and hair a mess.  
“Hey, Alex! I was just waiting for you. Wanna grab something to eat?” His voice seemed painfully cheery, but Alex had no reason to decline.  
After taking James’s order (Coffee and toast. With butter.) And Hercules’, (Waffles with syrup!), they began weaving through the empty tables and towards the food-line.  
John, casually scooping eggs onto the plate infront of him, grinned at Alex. “So, I had a dream last night.”  
Alex cocked an eyebrow, not quite in the mood for talking.  
“That sounded gross. Okay, so, I’m pretty sure it was just a memory and I know I get those every other day, right? But this was different.” He moved down the line, collecting a tray. Carefully placed a second plate on it. Alexander began cooking the toast. John started speaking frantically. “So, you know about the whole _Revolution_ shit? Yeah, well, um, so you’d probably _also_ know that I fought in it! So, like, I’m pretty sure it was a memory because like, Walsh was there? And he was talkin’ to me and this other guy, being all ‘ _Oh, you just must be my exquisite aides-de-camp. Now, I would like you two to meet this French guy. His name is hon hon hon qoi qoi baguette. Please teach him English. L-O-L, bye bitches._ ’  And then like, this fucking tall-ass powdered-wig wearing guy shows up and tells us he’s a Marquis de La-Fayette. Then this guy, my actual best friend in the whole wide world, who I _might’ve_ gotten freaky with but that’s for me to know and you to find out, just goes, in perfect French, ‘ _Hello, you are an angel. I’d fuck you._ ’ Then I woke up.”  
At this point, they’d finished making breakfast.  
“That event sounds pretty weird, honestly. We know a Lafayette.” Alex grinned at John. He couldn’t explain why, but he felt like John had known him for centuries.  
“Yeah, Gilbert? He was Lafayette. Didn’t I tell you this already?”  
Alex shrugged, rearranging the plates. He passed John one of the cups of coffee and balanced the other on his plate. “Yes, I think so.”  
“Cool. Great. Yeah. Yeah, hey, um. After we eat, I was gonna go blaze up. Wanna come with?”  
Alex blinked, “In the morning.”  
“Well, duh.”  
Alex nodded, before walking towards the table again, John at his side.

 

* * *

 

AP U.S History.  
Alexander’s, arguably, favourite class.  
Alex enjoyed it for several reasons. These included Hercules, who was as witty as he was smart. Walsh, who gave the pair extended work. And, lastly, the lack of students- There were only ten, which meant that Alex and Hercules got as much help as they needed.  
Most lessons, Hercules was late. This meant that when Alexander walked into the classroom, having had to run from his ESL class, he had to take a double look.  
Hercules was sitting at their desk.  
Pushing down the excited feeling that arose when he saw him, Alexander began to notice something strange as he got closer.  
Hercules was staring blankly at the desk. His back ram-rod straight. Hands resting infront of him, clenching and unclenching.  
_Was he okay?_  
Alexander, trying not to make a scene in a half-empty classroom, rushed towards his friend. Sat next to him.  
His mind was racing. _What the fuck should I do?_  
Is it a revelation? Seizure? A prank?  
Alex’s eyebrows furrowed. Biting the nails on one hand, he snapped his fingers in front of Hercules’ face. When that didn’t work, he shoved his shoulder.  
Hercules didn’t flinch. His brown eyes glazed, unseeing. His eyebrows remained fixed to his face, mouth torn into a straight line.  
Alex’s heart began racing, mind screaming. Should he get a teacher? Ask another student? Call Gilbert?  
Alex decided against that. He wouldn’t know how to explain the situation. Instead, Alex called his name. Quietly, but unmistakably, to avoid other students noticing the problem.  
Within minutes, Hercules sucked in a deep breath. He looked around, a vague expression painting his face. His eyes were frantic, breath faster. Alex felt his own heart still.  
“Alexander _Hamilton?_ Is that you?” His voice was whisper-quiet.  
Alex had to fight back the bubbly feeling that tried to force its way up when Hercules said that name. His whole body shook. His mind roared.  
y̵̬͗͋̓͊͝ę̸̫̦͑̂͜͝s̷̭̺̩̝̤̎ ̸̙̈́̐į̴̼͔̪̄ẗ̶̛̞͙̩̖̮͐'̵̛̱š̸̨͔ ̵̭̝̘̀m̷̺̼͕̥̽̽͜e̵͚͑͑̈́̕,̴̧͒͘ͅ ̶̪̎̊̎͋́a̵̱̲̻̠̽̀̉ͅḽ̷̡̘̖̍͘e̷̯͉͎͆̎͌́x̸̫̰͐̈̕a̸̱͈̪̍̈́n̶̥͈̣̗̑͗̾̈͘d̶̯̬̎͑̾̑̓e̵̛͛̀̈ͅr̴͚̝͙̝̥̋̈́̆̉ ̵̟̫̝̫̎̔h̴̰̘̯̤̓̿́͋͆ͅa̶̼̍m̵̡͎̲̀̈́̑i̶̤͗͆͑͒ļ̶̲͙͓̅t̶̢̽̈́o̶͈̎̂͑̌n̶̟̈́̍͝.̵̯̲̦̺̔̌͒ ̴̬͗̒̉̇͘M̷̙̤͙̱͊̕͠ü̸͙̔̄̈l̶͔̜̞̞̦̐́̐͂ļ̸̟̮̤̜̌̉̈́͘i̶͚̤̰͍͙̇͑g̴͓̭͔̼̾̚ą̷̲͈̖̣̄͛̑̕n̸̦̍̃̌̾͆,̶̦̓̃͠͝ ̷̪͎̥̖̈́̋̇ȉ̴̙̠̺̒̔͝t̴̛̤̤̆͛̆͝'̸̨͍͈̾̄͂̾̕s̸̘̬͌̎̓̐ ̵̺̜̭̑͆̆b̴̙̣̺̹̋̊ẹ̶͕͖͇̆̓͝͝e̵̺̲̭̽̈́͒n̸͓̏̉ ̷̢̛͎̘͋̀͛̆s̶̫͙͈̹̠̋o̸̭̣͗̀̓̓ͅ ̴̢̘̑̈́͘l̴͇̙̈͗̋o̶̢͖̤͛n̴͓̤͚̾ḡ̸̝͔͓̯̄̉͘,̶̻͇̻̅̑͋ ̷͉͔̱̯̲̿̒̐̇m̷̗̰̬̤̂̃̍y̵̼͈̥̝̲͂͊̋ ̵̬̳̳̓͋f̵̧͕͇̗͋̆̓ṟ̵̨͇͛͛͑͠ͅĭ̴͔̞̈́̄͘e̸̫͎͑̃̚ñ̴̯̝̓̕͠d̸̫̉̿̄͊̈́.̶̨̤̫̈́͌͝  
  
“Hamilton?” H̸̤̥̫̩͍̳̟̭̮̎a̴̠͙͌̀̏̂͝ͅm̵̢̐̒̉̿͘i̶̢̢͕̞̣̳̠̘̟͎͗͑͜l̵̨̪̠̦̗͉͊̅̎̐̆̓͐͊̕͠t̸͙̦͚̭̹̝͍̬̽̇̔̍̋͘͝o̷̞̻͈͚̊͛n̵̢̩̤͉̜͉̣̱̗̙̔̀͋̽̇̓̍͠͝!̸̧̥̠͈̫̲͇͖̥̝͎̠̜̃̋̐ ̷̼͓̘̪̰́͆̓̂̈͛̄̕̕Y̵̱̮͖̫͎͈̮̖͕̖̘̅̎͆́͝ͅē̵̺̪͗̋̂̓̌̈͘͝͝s̶̗!̶̡̨̱̠̘̼̹̞͍̺̘͗̍̈́̍̍͐̒̑͗͜͝ ̴̙̹̺̘̈͐̔̏̇̇̋̒̊̃̈́̏͝Ï̵̧̧̡̢̝̰͖̖͕̝̑̄̽̐͐́̚͠͠'̶̲̩͉̬̣̞̖̎̈̈͌͆͗̄͜m̸̨̭͇̝̻͇̠̮̭̻̿̐ ̴̡̧͔̩͈͚̺̫͈̈͊͋̃͝ͅÄ̴̻̤̅̿l̵̢̦͂̎̓̈́̏̈̒͘̕͜e̷͔̻̠̻̤̦͋x̷̢͔̭̝̋̇̉̄̊͆̀͐͋̌͊͜͠ͅa̷̡̪̮̼͕͇̗̍̕͠n̸̙̱͛͒͗͗̏̔̂͝͝ͅd̸̨̧̖͕̬̗̙̦̈́̑̈͐͘e̷̛̤̯͚̽̀̒̃͛̊͝r̶̛̦͕͚̔͑͐̈́̍͒̅̑̚̕ ̸̛̳̖̫̽̇͆H̷̢͚̗̪̞̠̻̮̠̯̚͜ͅä̸̧͉͉̫͍̘̦͖̥͔̊ͅm̶͍͕̯̅̉̈́͌̔͝ͅḯ̴̮̈́͐l̸̢̪̺̮̟̠͈̙̥͕͚͘-̸̨͍͍̘͔̹̈́̔̈͋̽͜͝  
“No. No, I’m Alexander _Faucette._ You’re” c̴o̵r̶r̸e̴c̸t̵ ̸h̴o̸w̷ ̶c̷o̶u̷l̸d̶n̷'̵t̴ ̶y̶o̶u̷ ̸s̴e̵e̷ ̶t̴h̶i̵s̸ ̵b̸e̸f̵o̵r̵e̷ ̸y̶o̸u̸'̵r̶e̶ ̸a̴l̷e̶x̸a̶n̶d̴e̸r̸ ̶h̵a̵m̵i̷l̴t̷o̵ “Are you okay?”  
  
Hercules nodded solemnly, understandingly. “Yeah,” he breathed. “I’m alright. Sorry to freak ya out.”  
“Do I call Gilbert?”  
“No! No, do _not_ call Gilbert.” Hercules seemed frantic. “I cann _ot_ have you calling Gilbert.”  
Alexander nodded hesitantly.  
“So, anyway, you get the homework done? Aaron had me look after John last night, so I couldn’t do any of it. John was fuckin’ _high_ , man.” Hercules stuttered, obviously uncomfortable.  
Alex nodded, taking out yesterday’s homework.

* * *

  
As the bell went, Hercules turned to grin wickedly at Alex.  
“So, we gonna be partners or what?”  
Earlier, Walsh had introduced their new topic- the American revolution. And, as expected, Walsh had decided to allow the students to get into pairs. They were going to make a PowerPoint on everything they know about important revolutionary figures.  
What fun.  
“Yeah. If you want.” Alex began packing his things up, ignoring the students walking past.  
“Cool. Wanna start working on it tomorrow at lunch?”  
“Yeah, sure. No problems.”  
“Cool.”  
They left soon after.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the plot Thickens,,,,,,  
> thanks guys for reading!!! remember to hmu if there're any mistakes or if y'all would like me to make a tumblr for this! i really appreciate every comment!!!  
> also! i'm really bad at using ao3? so like i've received a few comments and accidently pressed "spam" instead of "reply," so i'm really sorry if i marked your comment! i haven't meant to:/  
> i have emailed the ao3 mods about that though, so i should hear back from them in a while!!  
> thanks for reading everyone!! hope y'all have an awesome week or month!!


	11. not a chapter

hi guys,  
you've probably guessed it by now but i have to abandon this fic

i loved writing it and really enjoyed talking to everyone! but unfortunately i've lost interest in Hamilton.  
so, to show everyone what i wanted to do with this fic, a brief overview is that i had ten chapters left to write- two chapters after the one i last posted, alex has a Revelation but keeps it to himself  
then his brother gets in contact with him n it turns out they're all part of the hmlt family  
also Washington comes in and does some Dad Things(tm) and lowkey gives alex a family *aka he adopts him??*  
ya and that's it  
it's not a v strong plot but it was gonna be Good if i could actually write it lmfao  
i want to complete this fic, i really do. but, as you might know (i forgot if i talked about it in the notes) i suffer from a chronic pain condition. as my condition is degenerative, my dominant wrist has become weak and painful to use. i'm not able to handwrite, which is how i liked to draft this fic, and typing can cause pain depending on my pain levels each day.  
  
maybe i'll be able to complete this fic when i'm done with my final year in hs (this year babey!!!! class of 19 yeehaw) and my overall pain goes down, but maybe not :"(  
  
So ya! I love yall so much, thanks for all of ur support <3   
i'm working on a Detroit:become human café au fanfic that won't be ready for a few months, but i will post it here when it's completed, if you're interested:)  
  
Thanks everyone! <3


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